The NonNuclear Family
by ilovetvalot
Summary: Everyone thought Jack Hotchner would turn out to be the ideal teenager. Things never go as planned and when Aaron Hotchner's son veers toward juvenile delinquency, how do JJ and Hotch combat the terrible teens? Future Fic
1. Chapter 1

_**Author's Note: First, I hope you guys enjoy this new story. It will be updated once a week. **_

_**We have a few announcements for year today. First, don't forget we have a new challenge open on the forum, "Chit Chat on Author's Corner". Sign-ups for our January challenge, "The Happy New Year's Challenge" is open through December 30, 2010. We'd love to have each one of you. **__**Simply swing by the forum (you can link to it thru our profile pages) and sign up with the pairing you'd like to see written and three prompts associated with the holiday. On Jan 1, 2011, you'll be assigned a random pairing (not the one you usually write) and three prompts to write by January 30.**_

_**And don't forget - those that signed up to complete the CM Christmas Fic Gift Exchange, you have exactly seven days left. Please PM me if you have any problems.**_

_**Also, over the next week, we will be shifting our ongoing epic stories to weekly publication, probably two per day. During my husband's deployment, this will probably be the best way for me to update.**_

_**Finally, if any of you have any idea for issues/activities that you'd like to see "Chit Chat on Author's Corner" forum tackle in the form of discussion threads and/or challenges, please let us know. We want to bring you all some really fun threads in the New Year!**_

_**As always, thank you to every reader, reviewer, and person that favorites or alerts one of our stories. Hearing from each of you means a great deal to each of us. We truly value your thoughts and opinions. Now, on with our story!**_

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**The Non-Nuclear Family**

**Chapter One**

No parent got it right all of the time.

Instinctively, Aaron Hotchner knew this fact to be true. Although, after thirteen parenting years, he had to wonder if he was EVER going to get it at least partially correct. Wasn't he due for a break soon?

Tightening his hand on the steering wheel of his car, he blew out a long breath, almost desperate to control his rapidly devolving temper at this point. When JJ's phone call had come early this morning it had been unexpected, but he wasn't entirely surprised. His adolescent son had been pushing boundaries for months. Late curfew. Disrespectful attitude. A general level of intolerance for anyone above the age of twenty. Jack Hotchner had all the classic hallmarks of teen angst.

But this...this newest stunt had pushed his son from mere classic teen toward juvenile delinquent in one sweeping tide. And if he didn't stop this trip down the slippery slope, Aaron Hotchner was certain that the future was not going to be a pleasant place for any member of his family.

Thank God for JJ, he thought gratefully, propping his elbow against the steering wheel and massaging his temple as he was stopped by yet another red light. The younger woman was becoming his savior more and more often these days, her unflappable attitude a welcome respite from the sullen mood swings his son served up with regularity. More and more, Aaron found himself gravitating toward her between cases, relying on her pragmatic sense of humor to get him through the rough spots of child rearing.

Most importantly, thanks to her quick thinking and willingness to put her own life on hold, his son wasn't sitting in juvenile detention awaiting the return of his one remaining parent. Instead, when she'd received Jack's desperate call in the middle of the night, Jennifer Jareau had taken the reins, going to the police station and using her far-reaching influence to have his son released into her care.

Not for the first time, the slender blonde had come through for him. Sure, he paid her back where he could, filling the vacant father figure position in Henry's life that had grown wider when Will had left them a few years ago. He'd attended to his fair share of Henry's soccer and Little League games, and was more than glad to be there in any way necessary. But by and large, he was the one that had come out ahead in their friendship.

She'd told him not to rush back, that she had things handled on her end. She'd personally delivered Jack to school this morning and watched him go to class, much to the very private teenager's chagrin. But in spite of JJ's obvious care, Hotch knew he couldn't avoid addressing his son's increasingly bad behavior any longer. He'd left the case in Dave's capable hands and caught the first plane from Cleveland to DC this morning.

It was painfully clear to him that Dr. Spock had not been the expert on all things child-related, for Aaron was fairly certain that the good doctor had never written a chapter that could cover his son. He'd checked.

JJ had agreed to meet him at her apartment and fill him in on what she knew, and despite the reason for his impromptu visit, he couldn't help the small thrill of excitement that the prospect of seeing her left in him. Over the last year and a half, he and JJ had grown closer. Whether because of their children or her understanding of his career, he was closer to her than almost anyone. And he knew that his thoughts had already moved beyond mere friendship. Just lately, what little free time he had available was always consumed with fantasies of her…often X-rated in content.

Of course, if his son had his way, a relationship with any woman was going to be impossible. God knew, Jack was doing his level best to scare away even the steadfast and even-keeled Aunt JJ. Jack's cold demeanor and brooding silences were enough to drive Aaron nearly mad...and unlike JJ, he was obligated to love his child. She wasn't.

And he was more than concerned that the benevolent pseudo-aunt would draw her proverbial line in the sand at any moment.

He'd worried that Jack's current angry attitude would influence their friendship. More than once lately he'd needed to remind his angry son that disrespecting his elders was a forbidden practice. After all, JJ had her own son to consider, and he knew that her devotion to Jack would outweigh any feelings she might have for anyone else. He couldn't help but wonder if she'd remove herself and her son from his life's equation in light of Jack's current negative outlook.

But so far, she'd remained a steady, unwavering friend to him and his progeny, in spite of the obvious uphill battle they'd all been facing lately. Hopefully, this latest fiasco wouldn't change that.

Sighing as traffic finally began to move again, Aaron gunned the gas pedal as he wondered how the hell he was going to handle the current situation. He'd tried talking to his son. He had tried grounding him. Of course, enforcing those rules when he was in and out of town on multiple cases was a challenge. Penelope tried to respect his rules when she was helping to care for his son, but Jack was nothing if not a cunning child, often wriggling his way out of his restriction with a stunning alacrity that most unsubs would admire. JJ had the best luck so far…but luck was a fickle taskmaster and tended to leave at just the moment he needed it most.

Turning into JJ's parking lot, he sent a prayer to whatever deity was listening that JJ would have some words of wisdom to impart. She was doing an amazing job at raising a well adjusted child in spite of an absentee father. Maybe she would have some idea what to do with his obstinate teen.

Preferably before Aaron killed the boy with his bare hands. He was fairly certain _**that **_was still illegal in all fifty states.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Author's Note: A few forum announcements for today, fellow authors and readers. First, you have ONE day left to sign-up for Writing Challenge Number 8 - "The New Years Challenge" at Chit Chat on Author's Corner.**_

_**We have also opened signups for our first annual "Valentine's Fic Gift Exchange". Signups are thru January 31st for this one. Simply name the pairings you are willing to write, the pairing you would like to receive as a gift, one famous long song and three Valentine's Day prompts.**_

_**Details for both challenges can be found at the "Chit Chat on Author's Corner" forum. We'd love to have each one of you.**_

_**Finally, new Fortune Cookie prompts are available at the forum for those of us that need a kick start to our writing muses.**_

_**As ever, thank you for reading, reviewing, favoriting and alerting our stories. We truly appreciate each one of you. And because I haven't said it in a while, we (neither ilovetvalot or tonnie2001969) own Criminal Minds (though we really wish we did).**_

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**The Non-Nuclear Family**

**Chapter Two**

Glancing up from her newspaper as the doorbell chimed, JJ threw it aside and sighed. Her thoughts seemed to jumble as she pushed up from the small sofa, her eyes moving immediate toward the wood and glass door as her footsteps seemed to drag. Normally knowing Aaron Hotchner would be waiting on the other side of her wide front door for her sent her sprinting.

Unfortunately, today was not one of those days.

No, she thought as Hotch's determined fist landed against the door...definitely not one of those days. Opening the door as his fist landed against the wood again, JJ smiled as positively as she could. "Hey." Eyebrows drawing together as she stared at his worn, worried face, she shook her head. "You look like hell."

"Nothing compared to the way I feel," he murmured as he took a step over the threshold.

"Get in here," she said, snagging his overcoat and pulling him inside the warm apartment. "I'll get you a cup of coffee."

"Any chance I could convince you that it needs to be Irish?" he asked, only half-kidding. The soft sound of bubbling water filled the air, and he glanced over in the corner where he knew Henry's fish tank took primary residence.

"Afraid not," she denied with a sympathetic smile as her bare feet slipped against the carpeted floor. "I think you're gonna want all your faculties for this afternoon," she said sympathetically.

Following JJ into her small kitchen, Hotch barely resisted a groan. If JJ was being sympathetic, whatever had happened really was bad. Extremely bad. Watching as she moved to a kitchen cabinet and pulled down a mug, he asked, his jaw clenching as he forced himself to remain calm, "Exactly what kind of damage are we talking here, JJ?"

"Well, no one got hurt," she shrugged, choosing to start the conversation with a positive note. "That's a bonus, right?"

"No one got hurt…yet," Hotch grunted, accepting the steaming mug she offered him. "I refuse to be held responsible for my actions when I get my hands on my kid."

Nodding calmly at that decidedly parental option, JJ gestured toward the living room. "Let's sit down and I'll feel you in."

Trailing her to the wide comfortable couch he'd spent many a night on...watching movies...talking, he sat down in his normal seat. "Just give it to me straight."

"You sure you don't want to get that coffee down you first?" JJ asked hesitantly, motioning toward the full mug in his hands.

Hotch shook his head. "No amount of caffeine is going to change my reaction, JJ."

Clearing her throat, JJ nodded as she settled deeper into the corner of the sofa. "Last night, I got a phone call from a nearly hysterical Jack. Evidently, Jessica had given him permission to go to the mall with a couple of his friends."

"What friends?" Hotch asked automatically, his eyes narrowing as he mentally reviewed the list of possible offenders. Over the last few months, much to Jack's displeasure, he had developed a list of parentally approved pals. And he already had a feeling that his son's companions in question were not anywhere near that list.

"Nick Hastings and Daniel Murdoch," JJ answered softly, well aware of the firestorm that was about to develop around them.

"Damn it!" Hotch growled. Was his son going out of his way to disobey direct orders? The two kids that had been put on the strictly forbidden list had been the very duo he'd gotten in trouble with. Imagine that! "He knew he wasn't supposed to be hanging out with them - and so did Jessica."

"Probably why he waited until you went out of town to go out with them," JJ replied knowingly.

"What did they do, JJ?" Hotch bit out, his fingers tightening around his thighs.

"They were picked up for shoplifting at Valley Mall," JJ replied evenly, presenting the facts as evenly and unemotionally as possible. "Mall security held them on the premises."

"What?" Hotch exploded, his eyes widening. "He's stealing?"

"He said he didn't know, Hotch. The video games were found in his backpack and video surveillance supports his story...even though the manager thinks it was planned. Evidently, one of the boys slipped the games in his backpack when Jack was turned away. And based on the tape I saw, it's possible that's exactly what happened. Jack is a lot of things right now, but he isn't a thief."

"God," Hotch muttered, burying his face in his hands as he felt his chest tighten. "Are they going to charge him?"

"No," JJ shook her head. "I paid for the games and all three boys were released into my custody. I called Jessica and cleared it so Jack could stay here with Henry and me last night and took the other two boys home to their parents - if you want to call those people that," JJ grimaced. An involuntarily shudder racked her shoulders as she fought down another round of anger at the memory. "Nick's dad laughed, Hotch. And Daniel's mother just started screaming about what a lousy kid he was."

"Jesus," Hotch breathed, squeezing his eyes closed as he was overcome with emotion. "Where the hell did I fuck up so badly that now he's stealing, JJ? And hanging around with kids who are obviously headed down far worse roads?"

"We don't know that he stole, Aaron," JJ reminded him gently. "It might have happened exactly the way Jack described it to me."

"Yeah, and he just happened to be standing there conveniently for some little punk to shove the games into his bag? I'm not buying it," Hotch snorted, scrubbing his gritty eyes with the heels of his hands.

Wincing as she watched his jaw clench and unclench angrily, JJ's shoulders sagged. She hadn't even gotten to the worst part yet, and Aaron already appeared ready to implode.

Hearing her tightly indrawn breath, Hotch turned his eyes back to JJ. "There's more, isn't there?" he asked heavily, his stomach rolling as he watched her face clench.

"Yeah," JJ nodded slowly, reaching for his hand and squeezing it. "There is, Aaron. I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize, JJ," Hotch ordered softly as he shook his head. "Jack and I are just lucky we have a friend like you in our lives."

"That's not exactly what my nephew was saying last night," JJ sighed, shaking her head at the memory of Jack and his less than cooperative attitude the previous evening. "I'm not exactly on his list of favorite people right now," she cringed.

"One day, he'll appreciate it," Hotch replied honestly. And, God, how he hoped that was true. The idea that he could raise a complete narcissist was a concept he just couldn't face. This had to be a teenage rebellion. This couldn't be who his son was going to be.

"I'm sure you're right," JJ agreed, smiling reassuringly. "But in the meantime, it's okay if he hates me. It's not our job to make him like us. It's our job to make sure he becomes a productive member of society. Which is why I asked him to do what I asked him to do last night," JJ began reluctantly.

"Tell me," Hotch ordered softly.

"When we got home last night, Jack had reverted into sullen silence. He wasn't responding to any question I asked him. So, I told him if he wouldn't talk, he needed to go to bed in the spare bedroom."

Hotch nodded. "Sounds reasonable."

"Yeah, I thought so," JJ sighed. "What I did next might not have been, but I'm glad I did it."

"What did you do?" Hotch asked curiously.

"I went through his backpack, Hotch. I figured if he was spending the night under my roof, my rules applied. Under my roof, no teenager is allowed the right to privacy. Especially after I've just spent the evening keeping them out of juvie." Pausing as she determined her next words, JJ looked at Hotch for a moment. "I went through his backpack and gym bag, Aaron."

"I can understand that," Hotch replied quietly. "I'm assuming you found something worse than stolen video games."

"Yeah," JJ murmured, leaning forward to pull open the wooden drawer of her coffee table. "I did," she said, extracting a small plastic bag and gently putting it in Aaron's hand. "I found pot."


	3. Chapter 3

_**Author's Note: **__**Calling all readers! Join us for our Awesome January Awards...to recognize and honor the best fics written for any of the challenges on "**__**Chit Chat**__** on Author's Corner" forum! All you have to do is send the title of your favorite fic (and author who wrote it) that was written for a challenge to either ilovetvalot or tonnie2001969's private message inbox. Stories by ilovetvalot and tonnie2001969 are not eligible for competition. Only one vote per person! For more details and full rules, visit Chit Chat on Author's Corner forum. You don't need to be an author to vote, simply visit the forum and review our challenge threads (stories are already and the threads will be pinned to the top of the page). So, everyone, come on over and lets have some fun. Voting commences now and ends January 31, 2011. Awards will be given for first, second and third place. YOU HAVE THREE DAYS LEFT TO VOTE!**_

_**Please don't forget about our forum, "Chit Chat on Author's Corner". Currently, we're taking signups for our great Valentine's Gift Fic Exchange and we'd love to have everyone sign up. The more the merrier. Details are at the forum and you can PM us with any questions! WE ONLY HAVE THREE MORE DAYS LEFT!**_

_**Again, thanks for bearing with me, my fanfic friends!**_

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**The Non-Nuclear Family**

**Chapter Three**

"Pot?" Aaron Hotchner choked, his shoulders tensing as JJ's revelation echoed in his mind. Wrapping his fingers around the clear plastic bag as his eyes narrowed on the thin white joints inside, Hotch shook his head as his body began to vibrate with anger.

How many discussions had he had with his son regarding the pitfalls of drugs? How many times had he heard his son deny that he'd ever touch this kind of stuff? Jack knew about his Uncle Spencer's addiction. Over a year ago, Reid had been very forthright with the young man that Hotch's son was becoming, explaining how substance abuse had thrown his life into a chaotic downward spiral that had very nearly cost him the career he loved so much. Jack knew about his Uncle Sean's own battle with addiction. He knew about his grandfather's alcoholism.

HE KNEW HE CAME FROM A FUCKING FAMILY THAT WAS PRONE TO ADDICTION!

What the hell was his son thinking!

"I'm going to fucking kill him," Hotch snarled, surging to his feet as he prepared to hunt down his son, visualizing wrapping his hands around the boy's throat and shaking some sense into him if necessary.

"Hotch," JJ said quickly, grabbing his arm to stall what was certain to be a meltdown of epic proportions, "No. Not like this. You need to calm down first."

"Calm down?" Hotch laughed bitterly, staring down into her all-too-calm eyes. "JJ, I just learned that my son is a would-be thief AND a pothead. Trust me, I don't think calm is located anywhere in my future."

"I know this is a shock," JJ said quickly, keeping her hand around Hotch's warm wrist, his skyrocketing pulse throbbing against her fingertips, "but you can't just run out of here and..."

"...kill him? Bet me," Hotch snapped, anger at his son coloring his perceptions as he took another step away from her.

"Sit down," JJ ordered, tugging at his arm and stalling his movements. "I haven't finished yet."

"Jesus Christ!" Hotch exploded, his eyes wide as they landed on her serene face. "There's more? What? Is he a fucking serial killer, too?"

"Aaron," JJ chided, shaking her head as she tightened her grip against his arm. "Stop. Your son isn't some psycho whack job out terrorizing the city."

"No, just his father," Hotch snorted sarcastically, reluctantly letting JJ pull him back down beside her on the couch. "Fuck!" he said, burying his head in still shaking hands as he attempted to regain what was left of his already shattered control.

"He's a typical teenager going through a confusing time in his life," JJ pointed out softly, shifting closer to him on the sofa. "The important thing is that we get him some help now before anything escalates."

"JJ, based on what you've told me, we're already IN the escalation stage of the program," Hotch muttered into his hands. "He's stealing and doing drugs. He's hanging out with a bad crowd that he KNOWS I've forbidden him to see."

"Yeah, he's doing all the things most teens do to their parents. He's human, Hotch," JJ pointed out softly, letting out a deep sigh. "And I honestly believe he was innocent in the shoplifting scenario."

"What about the drugs, JJ?" Hotch fired back, unwilling to consider that his son was a victim when he'd been caught red-handed. TWICE. This was not something that he could turn a blind eye to, no matter how much he loved his son.

Licking her lips as she studied his face, clenched in fury, JJ debated her answer. She owed Hotch the truth; this was his son they were talking about, after all. But at the same time, she'd really like her nephew to live to see his graduation. She was every bit as terrified as Hotch. She'd loved Jack like another son for almost all his life. The idea that anything could destroy his future was enough to shake her to her foundation.

"Jen?" Hotch asked, raising an eyebrow as he turned his head to face her. "You know something else, don't you?"

"I..." JJ faltered, uncertain how to answer him. She had no proof, only suspicions. "I'm saying that this," she nodded at the bag in Hotch's hand, "might explain a lot of Jack's recent behavior...the mood swings and so on. But..."

"How long?" Hotch asked starkly, staring at her. "How long do you think it's been going on? How long do you think I've been a fucking clueless idiot with my head buried in the sand?"

"Hotch!" JJ shook her head furiously, her lips tightening. "I don't think that at all! If you missed it, so did I. So did Jessica. But, we don't KNOW anything yet," she said, although she knew that wasn't entirely true.

"I'm his father, JJ. I should have known. I should have done something," Hotch insisted, powerful emotions surging within him, a sense of helplessness pervading him. "I should have protected him."

"He's growing up, Aaron," JJ denied softly, that very thought enough to make her spend her own sleepless nights worrying about her own son. "He's exploring the boundaries. He's trying to define who he is. You can't protect him from a natural urge. This isn't your fault. If you ignored it, THAT would be your fault. But that's not what either of us is going to do, is it?" JJ asked, clutching his hand as she prayed her words penetrated. It was a well-known fact that the man in front of her had a guilt complex. He blamed himself for everything. But this...she couldn't allow him to immerse himself in guilt. Jack didn't have time for that.

"Of course not," Hotch stated heavily, shaking his dark head. "I just don't know how to...approach him without wanting to beat him within an inch of his life for his stupidity."

"Based on what I know, that's another natural reaction," JJ smiled sympathetically, her shoulders relaxing slightly as she felt his anger start to give way to deeper emotions.

"I can't let him go down this road, JJ. It destroyed my father. It nearly killed my brother. I won't watch it happen to my son," he whispered hoarsely.

Bracketing Aaron's face between her hands, JJ forced his gaze to hers. "We won't," she whispered back vehemently, every word an eternal vow. "I promise, we won't."

"JJ," Hotch breathed as he stared into her clear sapphire eyes, his hands covering hers.

Something in the way he said her name - almost like a prayer- propelled her forward, the need to reassure the normally strong man in front of her overpowering all her hesitance. This man that she'd spent years loving, first in friendship, then, in something infinitely stronger, needed her reassurance. "It's going to be okay, Aaron," she whispered as her lips grazed his.

And distantly he heard a slamming door.

_**Dedicated to Our National Heroes!**_


	4. Chapter 4

_**Author's Note: Thanks to everyone who has been patiently waiting for our stories to be posted. We appreciate your support and apologize for any delays. Real life, however, has taken precedence! We always want to be able to provide you with quality stories and chapters, so our postings may be a bit sporadic over the next month.**_

_**Please check out our most recent challenge on our forum – March Madness! The guidelines are simple: You suggest a pairing and choose a TV title from the list provided (shows are from the 70s, 80s, and 90s). We'll assign out the pairings & suggestions by March 4, and you have until March 31 to create just the perfect story based on the prompts you receive. Your final story does NOT have to be about the TV show prompt, but you do have to use the TV show title in the story somehow. Check out our forum, Chit Chat on Author's Corner, for details and to sign up…you can find a link on our profile pages.**_

_**As always, we do not own Criminal Minds or any of the characters that we so enjoy writing. If we did own them, we would have never had JJ leave!**_

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**The Non-Nuclear Family**

**Chapter Four**

Slamming the door to his locker with more force than necessary, Jack Hotchner hitched his backpack over one shoulder. Stomach clenching with dread, he knew what was coming as soon as he got home that night...another inevitable showdown with his father.

Guiltily, he hung his head for a moment, staring at the dirty linoleum floor. It wasn't as if he set out to disobey his father, but what right did his dad have to try and choose his friends? It was hard enough when the guys found out his father was an FBI agent. Contrary to popular belief, being "a cop's kid" didn't put you on his fellow teen's most hip list. Exactly the opposite.

He made his friends where he could. And Nick and Dan weren't that bad, Jack thought insistently, scuffing his sneaker, the squeak of rubber against tile filling the air. So what if they'd chosen to shove that game in his backpack? They'd panicked. He could forgive that. Both guys had apologized again this morning. They were cool. And honestly, he couldn't afford to be choosey if he wanted a social life of any kind at this school.

Of course, when his dad was done with him, he might not have much of a life of any kind.

Once again, he silently cursed his Aunt JJ. If he'd just used his head and called Aunt Jessica, none of this would be happening. His mom's sister was good at helping him keep secrets from his dad. His Aunt JJ, on the other hand, had no trouble ratting him out.

And not just for the stunt that had landed him in this fucked up mess. Nah, she had to go looking for even more ammo to use against him. Remembering her disappointed face when she'd waved the small bag of pot in his face, he felt his anger rising again. What right did she have to go looking through his personal property? She wasn't his fucking mother and never would be.

He'd told her as much, and for a second, when that hurt look had flashed in her eyes, he'd regretted his hasty words. Right up until she'd demanded to know how long he'd been using for...right up until she'd flat out told him that she wasn't sure she could believe anything that came out of his mouth.

Then he'd really lost it, calling her names that now, in the harsh light of day, made his face flush.

He'd called her a nosy fucking bitch. He yelled and hurled insults that if his father ever knew about would probably have him grounded until he was an old man. But, fuck it, if he was going down, he was determined to make her feel as rotten as him.

It should have been satisfying. But, when he'd heard her muffled tears after he'd slammed the door to the bedroom he'd been assigned, all he'd felt was shitty.

The pot hadn't been his. Nick had shoved it in his back pocket as soon as the security guards had grabbed them. He'd figured that with him being a federal agent's kid, they'd be less likely to search him. And if by chance they had searched him, his punishment wouldn't be nearly as severe. He'd never been caught doing anything wrong, and Nick had already done two stints in juvie.

He'd slipped the bag in his backpack on the ride home, never imagining his Aunt would go to such lengths, invading his privacy. Her words still rang in his ears.

"Privacy is a privilege you earn, Jack. It's not a right."

Man, sometimes he thought the so-called adults made their bullshit up as they went along.

You aren't completely innocent, a little voice inside his mind that sounded remarkably like his Aunt Penelope chided him.

And he guessed that was true, too. Sure, the pot hadn't been his. But he had been experimenting with it. The release from reality it offered for a few brief moments was a welcome sensation. When he was high, he didn't have to think about how fucked up things had gotten in his own life lately. He could forget how badly it hurt that his mom was gone. He could ignore how badly his relationship with his father had gotten...forget that he spent more time with his extended family than the guy that helped create him. He could pretend that he was just an average kid.

And it wasn't like it was a hard drug. It wasn't like Uncle Spencer and his problem. It was a little weed, for crying out loud, not crack or heroin. Hell, they gave it to cancer patients, didn't they? The shit couldn't be that bad, could it?

He was so lost in his own head that he never heard someone calling his name. Not until he felt himself slammed into the locker in front of him. Turning sharply, he met the flashing gaze of Henry LaMontagne.

"What the fuck, Henry!" Jack snarled, regaining his balance quickly as he turned to face the younger boy. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"You!" Henry growled, jamming a finger in Jack's chest angrily as he shifted his backpack on his shoulders. "You're what's wrong with me."

Rolling his eyes, Jack shook his head. "Look, I don't have time for this," he muttered, stepping around the boy that had been like a brother to him for years.

"Yeah, you do," eleven year old Henry Jareau countered, grabbing Jack's arm with surprising strength. "You made my mom cry," he stated hotly. "I couldn't say anything about it last night, but I can now," he spat, vibrating with anger as he dropped his own book bag to the tiled corridor floor.

"I'm not gonna fight you, man," Jack declared as he shook his head. "I've got enough on me right now without adding that to my rap sheet."

"So you can talk a good game, but you can't put your money where your mouth is," Henry smirked, his eyes narrowing. "My mom has been good to you, Jack. She loves you. And you treated her like crap last night. You owe her more than that."

"JJ isn't my mom, Henry. I don't owe her shit."

"God, I'm sick of you." Henry shook his head, infuriated. "Poor little Jack Hotchner," he mocked, tilting his blonde head. "His mommy died. His daddy doesn't understand him. Boo fucking hoo, man," Henry whined dramatically. "Get over yourself and show the people who love you that you're worth the fucking effort."

"God, man, I see the family resemblance between you and your mom now. You're both self righteous assholes," Jack said disgustedly, his brow furrowing in anger. "Neither one of you know jack about me. Stop trying to act like you do. Three more years and none of you can say shit to me. I'll finally be able to walk away from all of you."

"Oh, that's a good one. Already planning on running out on your family. Like THAT hasn't happened to me before," Henry smirked, rolling his eyes. "You know, your mom died, Jack. She died and I'm sorry, but she didn't choose to willingly leave you. My dad did. But you don't see me walking around doing crap that's gonna hurt my mom. You don't see me walking around with a chip on my shoulder, blaming everybody else for the messed up crap in my life."

"Well, good for you, Mr. Well Adjusted. Some of us aren't the fucking golden child, Henry."

"Whatever, Jack," Henry spat, his fists curled up at his side. "You owe my mom an apology for the way you talked to her. You know it and I know it. Man up and do what's right," Henry growled, swiping his backpack up with an angry hand. "Do it before you really do end up alone," he ordered over his shoulder, striding angrily toward his bus.

Exhaling heavily, Jack followed, hating that, with every step he took, what Henry said made more and more sense. Fifteen was way too young to feel like your life was falling apart.


	5. Chapter 5

_**Author's Note: Thanks to everyone who has been patiently waiting for our stories to be posted. We appreciate your support and apologize for any delays. Real life, however, has taken precedence! We always want to be able to provide you with quality stories and chapters, so our postings may be a bit sporadic over the next month.**_

_**Please...check out our new forum topic: A Fanfic Glossary! We want to know if you guys find it helpful and our topic thread "Our Stance on the 2010 Criminal Minds Fanfic Awards". We have also opened a Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior thread where you may discuss the show (respectfully, of course). We also have a forum announcing our fellow author's (Kathi1C) new IheartCriminalMinds blog. You can ask her questions and get directions on going to her site. We also have SEVERAL NEW THREADS on our forum. Please check them out. We'll also have our "April Fools" challenge up shortly!**_

_**As always, we do not own Criminal Minds or any of the characters that we so enjoy writing. If we did own them, we would have never had JJ leave!**_

_**Let me know what ya'll think!**_

* * *

**The Non Nuclear Family**

**Chapter Five**

Slamming the door behind him, Jack ignored the warning look Henry shot him as he slammed the door. Glaring at the two people sitting on the couch locked in a kiss, he growled, "Oh, you've got to be fucking kidding me!"

Breaking apart quickly, JJ gasped as she saw her son and Jack. Cheeks flaming at what they'd witnessed, she rose quickly, holding out a hand. "Jack..."

"Don't!" Jack bit out, his voice pure acid. "All that crap last night about caring for me last night?" he said to JJ, his dark eyes burning with rage, "That wasn't about me at all, was it? It's because you're screwing my dad!"

"Jackson Hotchner!" Hotch barked, rising to stand in front of JJ, physically shielding her from his son. "That is enough," he breathed, his voice lethal.

"Cranky because I messed up your afternoon play date, Daddy?" Jack sneered, ignoring his father's obvious threats. "I'm pretty sure she'll let you have another one. She looked like she was pretty into it," he observed as he shrugged.

"That's my MOM," Henry Jareau bellowed, yanking Jack by the arm and slamming him into the door, their size differences not making any difference, Henry's anger fueling his actions "Say you're sorry," he demanded.

"Henry, no!" JJ ordered quickly, trying to move around Aaron to reach her son. "Let him go!"

"No, Mom! I heard the stuff he said to you last night!" Henry replied angrily, his grip tightening on Jack's shirt. "He owes you an apology!"

"Screw you," Jack snorted, glaring at Henry as he attempted to shrug him off.

"Henry is right," Hotch agreed, catching JJ's arm before she could cross the room to the boys. "My son owes you a huge apology. NOW!" he ordered, starting forward.

"Fine," Jack agreed as he smiled bitterly, his own heart pounding in his ears. "I'm sorry you didn't get fucked, Aunt JJ."

Livid now, Hotch's eyes widened on his son. "What did you say?" he asked, his voice quiet in the suddenly deathly silent room.

"You heard me," Jack challenged, lifting his chin defiantly as he faced his father.

"You little..." Hotch spat, raising his hand to reach for the child he'd once been so proud of.

"Aaron, no!" JJ yelled, seeing his intent. Grabbing his arm, she restrained him as she watched Jack push Henry away from him.

"No, let him," Jack shouted, his fists clenching at his side. "You wanna hit me, Dad?"

"Jack, stop it!" JJ hissed, feeling the muscles in Aaron's arm contract under her hand. "Stop this right now!" she said, slipping between father and son as she used her body as a buffer.

"When the hell will you get it through your head," Jack spat, bringing his face close to JJ's, "You are NOT my mother! I don't give a shit about anything you have to say."

"Jack," JJ whispered, tears forming behind her eyes, "You don't mean that," she said, reaching out to touch his arm.

Lifting his hand to shrug her off, Jack didn't expect JJ to move forward...and he never expected his hand to connect with her face. Face whitening as his knuckles connected with her eye, he felt his body propelled backward as his father lunged.

"You hit women now?" Hotch roared, his hands clenching around Jack's jacket as he slammed his son against the door. "You do drugs like some thug and hit women?" he shouted again, slamming his son against the wood, his blood boiling as he met his boy's shocked eyes. How could this be his kid? How? And how the hell had things gotten so bad that he'd never seen this coming?

"Aaron, stop!" JJ screamed, her words bouncing wildly around the room. "It was an accident!" JJ yelped, trying desperately to pull Aaron away. "Henry, help me!" she ordered desperately over her shoulder.

"Are you kidding?" Henry asked incredulously, staring in shock at his mother "He just hit you, mom!"

"On accident," she ground out, tightening her grip on Aaron's arm. "Now, move!"

Reluctantly, Henry grabbed his uncle's other arm and between the two, the pulled a heavily breathing Hotch away from Jack.

"C'mon, Dad! Is that it? The big punishment?" Jack spat, his bravado outweighing his common sense.

"Jack, stop it!" JJ demanded, her eyes flashing as she turned to glare at the boy she currently tried to protect. "Just stop!"

"You have no idea what punishment is," Hotch breathed, his chest heaving from exertion. "If you ever put your hands on JJ or another woman again in my presence, you'll be meeting God a lot quicker than you ever anticipated."

"Whatever," Jack grunted, rolling his eyes as he turned. He had to get out of here, away from those dark judgmental eyes boring into him. If there was one thing his father was good at, it was making you feel an inch tall with a look alone. Hitting JJ had been an accident, for Christ's sake. Why couldn't anyone see his side of the story for just once? "I'm out of here."

Latching onto his son's arm, Hotch shook his head. "The hell you are," he denied. "The first thing you're going to do is apologize to JJ."

"Sorry," Jack muttered, staring at the door in front of him.

"Turn around and say it like you mean it, Jack, or so help me God..." Hotch began on a growl, his teeth clenched.

Snatching his arm away from his father, Jack turned abruptly, looking at JJ. "I'm sorry, okay? I didn't mean to hit you. It was an accident." Jerking his eyes back to his fathers, he added, his tone hardening, "But I'm not sorry for what I said about you. At least, now I know where your priorities are. Right here with her," he said, gesturing at JJ.

"My private life is none of your business, but for the record you're wrong. And if it wasn't for this woman," Hotch said, nodding at a pale JJ, "you'd be sitting in juvie hall right now."

"And I'd have been fine!" Jack retorted, raising his chin defiantly.

"Sure you would," Hotch scoffed, his eyes narrowing as he barely resisted physically restraining his child. "You'd have been great after I got done killing you for your stupidity. What the hell is wrong with you, son? Shoplifting? Drugs?"

"You told him," Jack stated softly, his eyes accusing JJ as he turned to stare at her.

"You knew I had to." JJ shook her head, unable to ignore the sudden pain that filled the teenager's eyes. Despite his bravado, JJ knew that Jack Hotchner was still just a scared child begging for someone to pay attention to him…in any way possible.

"How long have you been using, Jack?" Hotch asked angrily, his patience thin at best.

"I'm not," Jack denied hotly.

"I don't believe you," Hotch returned softly, staring into his son's eyes and seeing only a dark shield glaring back at him. "You've lied to me over and over. Disobeyed every rule I've lain out."

"You know what, Dad?" Jack shrugged. "I don't care."

And that quickly, he turned and walked out the door.


	6. Chapter 6

_**Author's Note: Thanks to everyone who has been patiently waiting for our stories to be posted. We appreciate your support and apologize for any delays. Real life, however, has taken precedence! We always want to be able to provide you with quality stories and chapters, so our postings may be a bit sporadic over the next month.**_

_**Please...check out our new forum topic: A Fanfic Glossary! We want to know if you guys find it helpful and our topic thread "Our Stance on the 2010 Criminal Minds Fanfic Awards". We have also opened a Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior thread where you may discuss the show (respectfully, of course). We also have a forum announcing our fellow author's (Kathi1C) new IheartCriminalMinds blog. You can ask her questions and get directions on going to her site. We also have SEVERAL NEW THREADS on our forum. Please check them out. We'll also have our "April Fools" challenge up shortly! AND...we've opened a thread to discuss the episode "Lauren" on the forum. Please stop by and check us out.**_

_**As always, we do not own Criminal Minds or any of the characters that we so enjoy writing. If we did own them, we would have never had JJ leave!**_

_**And please, swing by my profile page and take my latest poll. I'm thinking of revisiting some of my older stories and would like your opinion. You guys mean the world to us!**_

_**Let me know what ya'll think!**_

* * *

**The Non-Nuclear Family**

**Chapter Six**

Pressing her fingers to her lips as she watched in growing horror as her front door slammed, JJ swallowed hard as she started shaking her head. Grabbing Aaron's arm, she demanded, urgently, "Aaron! You have to go after him! You can't let him…."

"What I can't do is let him hurt you anymore...let him hurt anybody anymore," Hotch ground out, glancing toward an obviously shaken wide eyed Henry then back to the young boy's mother. Wincing as he watched her shudder, he realized his tone was obviously harsher than he had attended. Apparently, his son wasn't the only Hotchner inflicting damage on everyone around him. Drawing in deep breath, he apologized, "I'm sorry, JJ. Henry."

Taking a step toward her door, she shook her blonde head as she jerked open the knob. "Quit worrying about me and go after your son! He's only a teenager, Aaron."

"Jesus," Hotch cringed, rage bubbling in his breast as he got a good look at her face, a rivulet of blood from where Jack's junior high class ring had connected trailed down her skin. "He cut you," he muttered, involuntarily reaching for her cheek.

Batting his hand away angrily, JJ's eyes flashed. "Aaron! Focus!" she barked. "Your son just walked out of here and we don't have a clue where he's going!" she yelled, her heart pounding as possibilities, all of them less than desirable, pervaded her mind. "Either get moving or I will. I'm fine, damn it. Jack obviously isn't!"

Blinking as her words penetrated, Hotch swallowed. "Where the hell do I even start to look, JJ?" he asked hoarsely, his head hanging on his shoulders as he felt the weight settling even heavier around him. "I don't even know him anymore."

Stepping forward, Henry's lips twitched uncertainly as he looked from his mom to his uncle. If ever there was a time to rat Jack out, he guessed this was it. Clearing his throat, he shifted guiltily on his feet.

Looking over at her son, JJ's eyes narrowed. "You know something," she said quietly, her words a statement, not a question. She knew her son well, and she knew when he was attempting to hide something from her. And as a mother, she was not about to let him ignore his duty to their quasi-family. Not now. "What is it, Henry? The truth," she ordered, wiping the smear of blood with the back of her hand impatiently. "There aren't going to be any more secrets inside my house," she warned.

Heaving a shaky breath, Henry's cheeks heated. "I'm not sure what exactly I know, Mom. But, I've heard some rumors."

"What kind of rumors, Henry?" Hotch asked evenly, trying desperately to control his temper. It wasn't his nephew's fault that his son was determined to derail his life before he turned eighteen.

"Well, there's this old, condemned house down on Fifteenth Street," Henry began.

"In the projects?" JJ breathed, surprise and fear filling her simple words.

"Uh, yeah," Henry whispered as he nodded guiltily. "Anyway, I've heard that Jack and his friends sometimes go down there to, uhmmm...do stuff."

"What kind of 'stuff', Henry?" JJ asked sharply, her hands forming fists at her side.

"Mooommmm," Henry whined, obviously uncomfortable with being on the makeshift witness stand in this specific morality play. "I'm not even sure if it's true or not. It's not like I've ever followed him or been down there myself."

"And you'd better not even think about it," JJ snapped, angry that her son had been withholding such valuable information. "Now, what are they doing down there...that you've heard about?"

"Ya know." Henry shrugged stiffly, staring at the floor. "Drinking and smoking...all the stuff you don't want your parents to know that you're doing."

"Drugs?" Hotch asked, his voice gruff as he fought a rising panic in his chest.

Lifting shining eyes to his uncle, Henry shook his head. "I honestly don't know, Uncle Aaron. I've never been down there, but I wouldn't be surprised. There are some really bad kids down there. You know, older and stuff."

Grabbing her jacket off the coat rack behind her, JJ glanced over her shoulder at her son. "You should have told me about your suspicions, and believe me, we'll be discussing that later, Henry."

"JJ, it isn't his fault," Hotch murmured, reaching for his own coat as he watched her grab her purse.

"We're family," JJ bit out, her tone stern. "And that means we look out for each other," she said, looking at her own little boy, who, unfortunately, wasn't so little anymore. "And when you know that a member of your family might be in danger, you..."

"Squeal?" Henry blurted, his eyes widening as he shook his head. "I wasn't sure, Mom. And it isn't my fault that Jack has turned into a jerk! I don't know whose fault it is, but I know it isn't mine!"

"I never said..."

"Yes, you did. You always told me that the only person's actions that I'm responsible for are my own," he charged. "So either that's the truth or it isn't, right?"

Sighing as she pulled on her coat, JJ stared at her disturbed child. "It wasn't a lie, but there are some exceptions to that rule. And we'll discuss them later, okay? But right now, I'm going to help your uncle find Jack. I'll call Ms. Murphy and have her come over, but until then, you keep this door locked. Understand?"

"JJ, maybe it would be better if I went alone," Hotch interjected, knowing the neighborhood Henry referred to was more than a little dangerous.

"After what I just witnessed between the two of you?" JJ gaped. "Not a chance. Let's go," she said, shoving Aaron out the door. "Lock this behind us," she commanded her son even as her hand searched her pocket for her cell phone.

"Yes, ma'am," Henry sighed, wondering how in the heck telling the truth had managed to land him in hot water. If you asked him, Jack deserved every punishment his uncle could think up. Plus, some that he had simmering on the back burner of his mind.

Minutes later, maneuvering traffic once more, Hotch offered a worried JJ a sidelong glance. "You know, I could have handled this on my own."

"Mmm," JJ hummed, staring out the window, her blonde brows drawn together as she watched the streets pass by quickly..

"Okay, maybe I didn't react in the most productive way," Hotch admitted reluctantly, frowning as JJ made another non-committal sound.

"You're angry," Hotch stated, executing a turn that would lead them to the street Henry had named.

"I'm a lot of things right now, Aaron," JJ offered quietly. "But, right now, all I want to do is find Jack in one piece. We'll deal with the rest later."

"Yeah," Hotch sighed, spotting the house that fit the description JJ's son had given, "It's how we're gonna deal that I'm concerned about." And with those ominous words, he killed the engine.


	7. Chapter 7

_**Author's Note: So, it's been a while, our friends. Sorry for the delay in posting. But, I swear, I think my co-author and I have found a way to keep writing. **__**Ton and I have devised a new strategy. With eleven ongoing epics (and two more that we had not even began to post yet), we've come up with a plan. Each month we are going to concentrate on bringing you chapters of FOUR of the eleven stories we have out there. Each month, we'll alternate. Now, that doesn't mean that you won't get the odd chapter of the other seven stories ongoing during the month if the muse cooperates, but we want to bring you well written material and we think this will help. You'll also see oneshots, challenge pieces, and post eps (especially with our Shakespeare Series) during the month, too, but we'll only concentrate on four epics during any month. Make sense? I hope so.**_

_**For the month of April, we'll be concentrating on the epics, "Southern Traditions", "The Girl Who Lived", "In Sunshine or In Shadow", and "Sweet Silver Lining".**_

_**At any rate, those of you not familiar with our work, please swing by our forum, "Chit Chat on Author's Corner" for ongoing discussion threads and challenges. We'd love to have you.**_

* * *

**The Non-Nuclear Family**

**Chapter Seven**

As soon as the door clicked behind his mother and uncle, Henry Jareau turned quickly and reached for his backpack. Finding his cell phone, he forced his fingers to quit shaking as he scrolled through his directory. He wasn't breaking his mom's rules this time. She hadn't specifically forbade him to call anyone. She had just told him to stay inside their home, and that's exactly what he was doing.

And while his mom might still think of him as a little boy, he knew a few things about the world that was out there. And the biggest thing he had learned was that it wasn't a wise move to face things like this without getting some help from people who knew what they were doing. Hadn't his mom always told him that it was okay to ask for help when he needed it?

Dropping down onto the edge of the sofa, he swung his jean-clad legs over the arm as he heard the phone ringing. Come on, answer, he silently begged as the third buzz sounded. And then his prayers were answered.

"Is that my most specialist nephew in the whole wide world out there in cellular land?" came the cheerful voice of his favorite person, beside his mom, in the world.

"It's me, Aunt Penny," Jack said quickly, knowing his aunt would soon launch into her favorite question-and-answer period about his day if he didn't keep going. "I kinda need some help."

"Uh oh," Penelope Garcia said slowly, twirling quickly in her chair as she gave all of her focus to the phone call. "What's going on, Henry-meister? You in trouble?"

"Not as much as Jack," Henry admitted, glancing once again toward the closed front door. "I think Uncle Aaron's gonna kill 'im this time. And I don't know if Mom can stop him again."

"I think you need to start from the beginning, Kemo Sabe," Pen said quickly, her brows drawing together as her hand tightened around the phone.

"Kemo, who?" Henry asked, confused, scrunching his nose. Scrubbing a hand across his forehead, he shook his head. "Never mind. Listen, Aunt Penny. Jack's really gone and done it this time."

"Henry, slow down, sweetikins, what do you mean? What's Jack done? And why do you think his dad is going to kill him?" Pen asked, reaching for wildly colored pencil from the corner of her desk.

"Uhmmm...well, last night, mom kinda had to go bail him out of juvie jail," Henry replied, squinting his eyes shut as his aunt's furious squeal echoed across the phone lines.

"WHAT? He was where? For WHAT?" Penelope asked, firing off questions with the precision of Al Capone's henchmen's guns.

"Shoplifting...well sort of. He says he didn't do it...or at least, he didn't know the kids he was with were loading his backpack with stuff, but I don't know. Anyway, Mom went and got him last night."

"And she didn't call me?" Pen huffed, her heel tapping nervously against the carpet of her office.

"I think she was wanting to talk to Uncle Aaron first, Aunt Pen. And she promised Jack she wouldn't say a word to anybody besides his dad. Anyhow, after all that, Mom went postal last night and she searched Jack's book bag and found some...stuff."

"Some stuff?" Pen asked suspiciously, eyes narrowing as she stared down at the phone in her hand. "What kind of stuff, my little nark?"

"You know, Aunt Pen. STUFF." Henry winced. "Bad stuff."

"Scale of one to ten bad," Pen queried, a sinking feeling growing in the pit of her stomach.

"Fifty," Henry answered succinctly.

"The kind of stuff you smoke or snort, Henry?" Pen asked, her voice now clipped as her blood boiled. What in the world was her precious nephew thinking? Playing with his life like that!

"Smoke," Henry muttered, flopping back against the sofa again, ignoring that little voice in his mind. "Anyway, Mom told Uncle Aaron and when Jack got here, he went off like a rocket. Then Jack ended up hitting Mom and..."

"What?" Pen screeched, the word bouncing all around the small enclosed room. "Tell me I did NOT hear that right, my little lamb!"

"It was an accident, or at least Jack said it was. But that didn't stop Uncle Aaron from losing it again. And then Jack took off and I'm here alone waiting on somebody to call me. Could you..."

"I'm already working my mojo, Sweetie," Pen said quickly, tapping her keyboard and logging into the GPS on Hotch's phone, scribbling an address on her pad quickly.

"If Uncle Hotch finds him and Jack goes off on mom again...Aunt Pen, I'm worried," Henry said, his voice small.

"It's gonna be just fine, Pumpkin," Pen crooned, snapping her fingers as Rossi passed her office. "I'm gonna get your Uncle Dave and Morgan right on the case. In fact, I've already got the address they're at, okay? You just sit tight."

Shoulders sagging with relief, Henry slid down the wall, landing with a thump on the carpet. "Honest? You found 'em?"

"I did," Pen said, forcing herself to sound far more chipper than she felt. "Now, you just go eat a snack and do your homework. I'll get your other Uncles on the case and be over there to see you lickety split."

"Thanks, Aunt Pen," Henry sighed. "You're the best."

"Don't I know it, kiddo. Toodles," Pen chirped, hanging up the phone before spinning in her chair to face David Rossi.

"What's going on?" Dave asked, seeing the obvious distress blanketing Pen's face. "Was that Henry?" he asked, nodding to the phone.

"Yeah," Pen nodded. "Good Seed just called to let me know Bad Seed In Training may be in a world of trouble." Pushing the slip of paper containing the address into his hand, she ordered, "You need to grab my Hunky Piece of Handsome and make tracks to that address before Hotch kills his son."

Frowning now, Dave growled, "What the hell is going on?"

"Long story short: JJ bailed Jack out of juvie hall last night on a shoplifting charge, took him home, searched him, and found drugs in his stuff."

"WHAT?" Dave bellowed.

"Uh huh." Pen bobbed her head. "Hotch and JJ confronted Jack about it when he came in from school and let's just say that it wasn't pretty. Currently, Henry fears for Jack's life. And personally, I'm with the kid."

"Oh, hell," Dave grumbled, spinning on his heel. Few knew better than him the full extent of Aaron Hotchner's rage when it was truly righteous. "Call Morgan, tell him to meet me at the elevator in five," he growled over his shoulder.

And picking up the phone, Penelope Garcia prayed the two knights in tarnished armor made it in time.


	8. Chapter 8

**The Non-Nuclear Family**

**Chapter Eight**

He hated him.

Kicking an empty soda can out of his way as he strode angrily down the dirty alley between the dilapidated row of houses, Jack Hotchner barely suppressed the urge to scream at the top of his already tight lungs.

Of course his father hadn't given him a chance to explain anything. Less than fucking perfect just wasn't acceptable to the powerful Agent Hotchner. It never had been.

"Fucking prick," Jack muttered, stomping toward the group of teens gathered on the cracked sidewalk of one of the houses. Inhaling the crisp, cold air around him, his eyes narrowed as he recognized a scent that was all too familiar in this neighborhood. If his dad thought he was some junkie, he might as well give the bastard something to be concerned about, right?

Some distant rational part of his brain...a part of him that he knew he'd inherited from his dad...whispered to him that what he intended to do wouldn't solve anything. It would merely prove his father right. And that was never something that helped him in the long run, was it?

But the need for release...for escape...outweighed whatever good sense he had left, and as he spied one of the boys he'd spent years avoiding because his father deemed him unacceptable company, Jack clenched his jaw. A little weed had never killed anybody, had it? He might as well commit the sin if he was gonna be accused of it.

Why do the time if he didn't at least get to enjoy the crime?

"Hey, Jeremy!" he heard his voice call out as he watched the group of teenagers begin to climb the steps of the long abandoned house. "Wait up, man!" Jogging the last few feet to join the others, he continued, hoping his voice sounded more grown up than he was feeling, "I was hoping I'd find you. Nick said you'd be here."

Glancing at Jack distrustfully, Jeremy snorted. "And? Whattaya need me for? In case you missed it, preppy guys like you aren't exactly who I hang around. What do you want?" he asked, flicking the butt of his lit cigarette toward the dead grass on one side of the sidewalk.

Clearing his throat as he shot a look toward the two other guys standing with Jeremy, Jack nodded. "Yeah, do you think we could talk alone for a sec?"

Jerking his head toward the house, Jeremy told his waiting friends, "Gimmee a minute, guys."

Waiting until the other two had disappeared through the door of the house, Jack shoved his hands into his jeans pockets.

"Well?" Jeremy asked impatiently, his dark eyes glancing from side to side.

"Look, Dan told me that you were the guy to see if you wanted to get some...stuff, man," Jack muttered, not meeting Jeremy's eyes.

Laughing sharply, Jeremy gave Jack a once over. "Are you fucking with me? You?" he snorted in obvious derision. "Mr. Fucking Perfect is coming to me for an assist? Hell must have froze over while I wasn't looking."

Closing his eyes, Jack inhaled deeply. "Look, Jere...we used to be friends."

"That was a long time ago, Jack," Jeremy retorted. "You dropped off my radar as soon as I went to juvie. You couldn't be bothered with me, remember? Pretended you didn't know who the fuck I was when I came back to school."

It'd be useless to try and explain to his former friend why that was, Jack thought grimly. He knew the excuse of "my daddy said that I couldn't" wouldn't exactly get him anywhere. So, instead he simply pulled out a wad of bills from his pocket and said, "I can pay, man."

Eyeing Jack skeptically, Jeremy's eyes narrowed. "Is this some kind of setup, man? 'Cause I'm warning you, paybacks are a bitch."

"Let's go inside, Jere," Jack suggested, nodding toward the house as he took a hopeful step forward. "I'm on the level. I just wanna get a couple of joints and go. No bullshit."

"Fine," Jeremy grunted, turning around. "But you're gonna do the first one in front of me. Ain't no way I'm gonna watch you run out of here and go tattling to daddy."

"Whatever," Jack shrugged, following the taller boy toward the door. "Right now all I care about is forgetting about my shitty life."

Glancing over his shoulder, Jeremy's brow raised slightly. "You're serious, aren't you?"

"Yeah, I'm serious," Jack muttered, shifting his backpack on his shoulder. "I want whatever's gonna make me either not care anymore or knock me flat on my ass. One or the other."

Closing the half-broken door behind him, Jeremy grinned almost ferally. "Then you don't want any fucking pansy ass weed. What you need is some blow. Set him up, Carlos," he ordered one of his friends as he flipped the unnecessary lock on the door.

"For?" Carlos questioned tersely.

"Blow," Jeremy answered succinctly.

Watching as the Latino friend of Jeremy's spread powder onto a turned over crate with a razor blade, Jack frowned as he was passed a dusty and dirty glass bottle.

"Take a shot," Jeremy ordered, nodding toward the whiskey in Jack's hand. "It'll take the edge off and make the other stuff work faster.

"Not fast enough," Jack murmured, lifting the bottle to his lips and swallowing the bitter fluid. Wincing, he coughed. "Damn, what the hell is that?" he gasped, handing the bottle back to the nearest guy.

"Jack Daniels," Jeremy informed him as he smiled. "Don't worry. You'll get used to it. Pretty soon you aren't gonna give a fuck about anything. Let's see the cash, Jack."

Pressing the bills into the other boy's hand, he watched Jeremy gesture toward the crate. "Go."

"How fast will it work?" Jack asked, moving toward the makeshift table.

"Fast enough," Jeremy said, shoving the money in his coat and crossing his arms over his chest. "You gonna do this or what?"

Bending at his waist, Jack nodded as he glanced down at the plain looking powder. "Yeah. You only live once, right? Might as well make it worth the ride." Closing his eyes, he picked up the small straw with trembling fingers.

Don't do this, his mind screamed.

Ignoring the voice in his head, he inhaled deeply, sweeping the powder off the dirty crate and into his nostrils. Rising, he cracked his neck as he heard the boys clapping behind him, cheering him on.

"Now, that's how it's done," Jeremy congratulated him, pressing the bottle back in his hands.

Nodding, Jack sank onto one of the chairs scattered around the room as he waited for that blessed numbness he'd always heard about.

It couldn't arrive fast enough for him.


	9. Chapter 9

_**Author's Note: Hello, readers. Just a brief note for you all today. For those interested, we have a new challenge up at "Chit Chat on Author's Corner". Sign-ups for our theme song challenge run through May 14, 2011. The rules are simple. Tell us your favorite character about which to write, the character you'd like to receive a story about AND what you envision that character's theme song being. We think it'll be a lot of fun and hope to see all of you there! All our best!**_

_**Also, the second annual Profiler's Choice Awards ARE on the horizon. Please visit our forum, "Chit Chat on Author's Corner" to read the details we have released about this year's awards and offer your opinion on any changes or things you'd like to see this year. It's right around the corner!**_

**The Non-Nuclear Family**

**Chapter Nine**

Clenching his hands against the leather steering wheel, Aaron Hotchner narrowed his eyes he stared out the windshield. The neighborhood had grown progressively worse throughout the past five minutes. And his mood had seemed to follow, each passing block causing his thoughts to move into darker and darker locations.

JJ grimaced as she watched his jaw clench once again, his brow furrowing as he executed a sharp turn onto a side street. They had barreled out of her home without a plan, but at least they were doing something. She only hoped that what they were doing would be enough…and in time.

The tense silence was interrupted by a sharp buzzing vibration, and JJ immediately reached for her phone. She felt Hotch's gaze land on her for a moment, and she knew that he was having the same thoughts as her, wondering if it was Jack reaching out to them. But their hopes were soon dashed.

Seeing Garcia's name appear on the screen, she winced as she debated ignoring the call. Now was not the time to have to deal with her always chipper friend. But she couldn't just ignore the persistent buzz, so she answered, throwing an apologetic look toward Hotch.

"Garcie, I need to call you back," JJ started, wanting to head off any chit-chat before her friend could move into full blast mode.

"Hold up there, gumdrop," Garcia shot out quickly, her tone decidedly subdued, her normal cheerfulness far away. "I've got info you and the Super Chief need to know. I'm working on pinging Jack's phone right now."

"How did you know?" JJ gasped, her fingers clenching tighter as she met Hotch's startled gaze, Garcia's words loud enough for him to hear.

"Because my brilliant godchild was smart enough to call somebody with tracking capabilities," Garcia explained succinctly, her fingers tapping wildly on her keyboard.

"Henry called you?" JJ gawked, wondering if anything else would happen to shock her even more tonight.

"Mmm hmmm, seems he was afraid that there might be murder on the agenda based on Uncle Aaron's reactions earlier. P.S., I'm sending you some back-up. Rossi and Morgan are on their way to help you canvas the neighborhood. Based on the signal that I'm getting off Jack's cell phone triangulation, you're within a three block radius. I'm pulling up maps now and hacking into the city database to see which houses are abandoned or condemned."

"Thank you, Garcie," JJ breathed, shooting a quick look at Hotch, nodding wildly as she met his questioning eyes. "Garcia's tracking him."

"What's she got?" Hotch asked sharply, his hands tightening around the steering wheel.

"Three block radius so far. She's trying to narrow it down for us. Rossi and Morgan are on their way," JJ informed him quickly.

"Good, I'll have witnesses for my son's execution," Hotch bit out, slamming his foot on the brake as a stray dog darted across the road.

"Tell the boss man that murder is still illegal in fifty out of fifty states," Garcia chirped, her own fingers moving at lightning speed over her keyboard.

"Yeah," JJ murmured, tugging at her seatbelt as she tried to loosen the tightened strap, "I don't think right now would be the time to mention that."

"Is the vein in the forehead bulging?" Garcia asked blandly.

"It should have its own zip code," JJ whispered, her eyes scanning out the window for any sign of her errant nephew. Wincing at Hotch's muttered curse as they stopped at a red light, JJ asked, "You getting anything?"

"Talent takes time, Peaches," Garcia muttered, clicking her mouse furiously as she burrowed into the city system. "Gimmee a sec. How did things even get this bad? Did we all have our heads buried in the sand?"

"He's a typical teenager, Garcie, complete with all the angst that entails," JJ sighed as she shot Aaron another wary look. "I made need help convincing Hotch of that though."

"That's why I sent the boys," Garcia agreed with a grim nod. "Okay, Jayje, I've got three possible houses. I'm sending them to your blackberry now."

Feeling her phone vibrate in her hand, JJ nodded as she glanced at the screen. "Got 'em. Send them to Rossi and Morgan, too. We'll take the first one."

"I'll tell them to take the second and if neither of you strike gold, you can converge on the third," Garcia said quickly. "Be safe, chica. This is not a good neighborhood that you're strolling into."

"Yeah, got that memo," JJ said, looking uncomfortably out her window at the dilapidated homes. "I'll talk to you as soon as we find him."

"Go with God, amiga. Toodles," Garcia replied, disconnecting.

Ending the call, JJ scrolled down her phone to the most recent text message. "Hotch, we need to get to 128 Mesa Verde. It's the first abandoned home on the list. Morgan and Rossi are going to take the house on Paulson Avenue."

Nodding tensely, Hotch made a u-turn in the center of the residential street. "What the hell is he thinking, JJ? Just taking off like that! And down here, of all places? What the hell is happening to my son?"

She knew he didn't really expect an answer, but his voice sounded so desolate that she had to attempt to ease his fears. "Hotch, recent bad choices aside, Jack is a smart kid. Everything I've read says adolescence is an uphill battle."

"This isn't just mere adolescence, JJ. He's spiraling. And escalating," Hotch denied, his fingers tightening around the steering wheel again.

"Okay, Aaron," JJ soothed, reaching out to rest her fingers against his stiff arm. "Let's try to avoid discussing Jack like he's some kind of unsub. He's a mixed up, confused child."

"He's almost grown, JJ. And if I can't stop him now, then where the hell will it end? Him in jail? Or worse yet, dead?" Hotch questioned, his voice shaking. "I won't let that happen to my boy."

"We'll find him and get him some help, Aaron," JJ replied, forcing herself to believe the words that she was speaking. "But you aren't going to get through to him if you're irate when you find him."

Jerking the SUV into the narrow driveway of the first abandoned house, Hotch shook his head as he twisted the key in the ignition. "I'm way past irate, JJ. I'm fucking homicidal at this point."

"Maybe I should go in first," JJ suggested as she climbed out of the vehicle, eyeing the open front door.

"Alone?" Hotch balked, meeting her in front of the black Explorer, his eyes narrowing as he glared at her. "In this neighborhood? Forget it. C'mon," he ordered, striding toward the porch. "I have every faith that you can keep me from doing my spawn bodily harm."

"I hope so," JJ muttered as she trailed quickly after him.


	10. Chapter 10

_**Author's Note: We wanted you to know, we're on Facebook now. Look us up under "Ilovetvalot Fanfiction" and add away. It's just another way for we authors and readers to remain in contact!**_

_**And check out our new "Times are Changing" mini-challenge at Chit Chat on Author's Corner forum.**_

**The Non-Nuclear Family**

**Chapter Ten**

Ten minutes later, JJ found herself experiencing a sense of déjà vu as they once again headed down another deserted street. The houses looked the same as those she had just seen…and she had already decided that she had seen more than her fair share of this neighborhood. If only they had found Jack at the first house, she thought glumly.

But no…it wasn't that simple.

Hearing a muffled curse, she quickly turned to look at the man sitting beside her. "Aaron?" she asked quickly, watching as Aaron's face tightened even more than it already was. "Look," Aaron ground out, motioning toward the windshield. "You don't think they've already been in and found nothing, do you?"

JJ followed his instructions, her heart dropping as she saw Morgan and Rossi leaning against a parked SUV. Please, oh please, she prayed vehemently as she glanced toward the nearby deserted home, please don't let them have already gone in and Jack wasn't there. Drawing in a deep breath, she said with more conviction than she felt, "They're just waiting on us, Hotch. Garcia told us that she was sending them to this location if they weren't successful before."

Watching their friend's faces as Hotch pulled over on the side of the road, she saw Morgan shoot an anxious look in the back seat of their SUV and she felt her stomach sinking. Something was definitely wrong. Derek rarely looked nervous, and Rossi's face only mottled like that when his head struck the roof.

Climbing out the passenger side door with numb feet, she watched Dave hurry toward them, her heart almost stopping.

"Dave?" Hotch questioned sharply as the elder man blocked his path.

"Aaron, he'll be okay," Dave said quickly, holding up one hand. "We've got him."

Trying to move around Dave, Hotch growled, "Where is he? Why isn't he out here?"

Grabbing Aaron's arm, Dave shot JJ a beseeching look, his eyes conveying far more than his words. "Listen, we need to get him to a hospital, Aaron."

"A hospital?" Aaron repeated, tensing.

"Why the hell does he need a hospital?" JJ asked, her panic rising as her eyes went to Derek's SUV again.

"We found him inside," Rossi explained, jerking his head toward the ramshackle house behind them. "He was stoned, Aaron. He is stoned. Morgan said it looks like crank or coke...hell, I don't know. But, either way, we need to take him to the ER and make sure he'll be okay."

"Oh, my God," JJ gasped, running toward the vehicle with Hotch on her heels. How had this child, who she'd raised as much as any biological mother had her own son, hit rock bottom so fast without any of them noticing there was a problem on the horizon? "Jack?" she called, shoving Morgan out of the way as she jerked open the SUV's door. "Jackson Aaron Hotchner, you open those eyes!" she ordered in a way only a mother could as she stared down at the dark-headed boy. "Right now!"

Blinking blearily, Jack slurred, "Aun' J?" he whispered hoarsely, hearing her voice but not able to really see her.

Cupping his cheeks and staring into his dilated eyes, she frowned as she felt Hotch crowding behind her.

"Jack?" Aaron's deep voice, heavy with fear, asked.

"No!" Jack yelled, suddenly jerking upright and crawling across the backseat, his arms pushing out. "Fuck you! I hate you!" he screamed, perspiration beading on his forehead as he clawed at the door handle on the far side. "Let me the fuck out of here!"

Momentarily startled by his outburst, JJ jerked backward into Hotch's chest. Glancing up at his blanching face, her heart broke for the somber man behind him.

"Jack," Hotch whispered, reaching his hand out to touch his son's leg.

"Get the hell 'way from me," Jack hissed, his eyes rounding on his pale face. "Don't you have a fucking case? You wanna show up now and try to play at being a dad to me?" Jack asked bitterly. "Let me out of here," he yelled through the window at Morgan.

Shaking off her shock as the boy's words slammed against them, JJ ordered sternly, "Jack, stop it. Right now!"

"Then get him the hell away from me!" Jack yelled back, his voice high and agitated. "I mean it, Aunt JJ."

"Aaron," Dave said, capturing Hotch's arm and urging him to take a step backward, "he doesn't know what the hell he's saying. Let JJ ride with Morgan and we'll follow them to GW."

"I don't even know who that is sitting there," Hotch whispered, horrified as he stared into the interior of the car, unable to recognize his own son any more. "He's never acted like this...spoken to me like this."

"Aaron, we've seen it over and over in kids...whatever he's got in him right now, it's affecting him. C'mon, let's get him some help," Dave said quietly as JJ climbed in beside Jack, her soft, soothing voice barely audible.

Nodding, Hotch turned, blindly making his way back to his own vehicle, Dave's direction to Morgan to drive echoing in his ear. "You drive," Hotch ordered, throwing his keys at Dave with shaking fingers.

Sliding behind the wheel, Dave cast Hotch a sidelong look as the other man climbed inside. "Hotch, you can't take what Jack said..."

"Personally?" Hotch asked as Dave started the engine. "My kid hates me, Dave! I think that's pretty personal, don't you? He thinks I put the job above him. What the hell do I even say to that?"

"Nothing," Dave replied succinctly as he pulled out behind Morgan's SUV. "Right now, you say nothing." Pausing a moment as he slowed for a light, Dave continued, "Your kid is high as a kite right now, Aaron. You can't put much weight on anything he said."

"Dave, he was angry enough to burst out of JJ's house and find the nearest crack den to light up in! He wasn't high when he made that decision."

"No," Dave agreed, "But, he was angry and hurt...kids do a lot of stupid shit under those circumstances."

"He was a ticking time bomb, Dave," Hotch breathed, his shoulders tight as he bent his head. "I knew it and I let him storm off. If something happens to my son..."

"Stop it," Dave ordered, banging his hand against the steering wheel for emphasis. "He's going to be fine. We're going to get him checked out and find him some help."

But somewhere inside him, Aaron Hotchner knew nothing was going to be that simple.

Nothing would ever again.


	11. Chapter 11

_**Hello, friends! Our newest challenge has just been posted on our forum, and we want you to join us in "The Dog Days of Summer". We've added a twist to this challenge...the story must be told from the point of view of one of the BAU's members PET! Please check out the forum to sign up...you can access the forum from ilovetvalot's profile page.**_

_**Oh, and we're having a lot of fun over at Facebook. To join in the conversations, simply friend "Ilovetvalot Fanfiction". That's me. I'll get you added as quickly as possible. It's just another way for we writers and readers to communicate. And I love to hear from y'all.**_

_**Gotta take a second to thank all our loyal readers for sticking with us. Tonnie and I are having a blast bringing y'all stories. We do want to let you know that our posts may be a tad bit slower over the next few weeks as we readjust to our ever changing lives. We appreciate your support, and we are diligently working on all of our epics and many new oneshots!**_

_**Now, on with the show...**_

* * *

**The Non Nuclear Family**

**Chapter Eleven**

JJ was not new to the world of drugs. She had seen how the insidious chemicals could literally rearrange a person into someone that was completely unrecognizable, almost erasing all previous characteristics that made that person who they really were. She knew the dangers.

But she'd never seen it in someone she loved as much as this child.

Pulling him forward as tightly as she could, JJ felt a tears coursing down her cheeks as the boy pressed closer.

"Make it go 'way," he mumbled into her chest, his body literally quaking as the drugs roiled through him.

"Drive faster, Morgan," JJ urged as she tightened her arms again, needing to do something…anything...to halt this destruction. How had she missed all of the signs? Why hadn't she locked him up in handcuffs when she'd had the opportunity last night? Why?

"Pedal's on the floor, sister," Morgan grunted as he deftly slid into the far lane of traffic, barely missing the bumper of the car in front of them, his hazard lights blinking bright orange.

"I feel sick, Aun' JJ," Jack moaned, his face paling as he twisted to retch on the floorboard. God, what had he done, he asked himself as his head pounded, those euphoric feelings of earlier having faded into the distance, barely memorable now. The solace had been all too brief, and reality now crashed around him in waves, tearing his body apart in its wrath.

Smoothing her hand across his sweaty forehead, JJ grimaced as the teenager choked, coughing violently as a shudder racked his body. "Jack, tell me what you took," she urged desperately.

"Don' know." Jack shook his head against her leg. "Just wanted to forget everything. I'm so tired," he said faintly, his eyelids fluttering.

"Don't you dare," JJ ordered as she felt Morgan swerve, she assumed to dart around another vehicle. "You keep those eyes open, Jackson."

"You sound like my mom used to," Jack mumbled, rubbing his cheek against the soft fabric of JJ's slacks. "Miss 'er," he whispered brokenly.

Eyes clouding with tears, JJ swallowed. "I know you do, baby, but your mom is currently standing in heaven cursing your foolishness, Jack," JJ whispered. "Life isn't a game. You could have died."

"Don't care an'more," he slurred. "Just wanna stop it," he breathed, closing his eyes again.

"You don't get to just stop," JJ retorted, shaking his shoulder, the need to see those dark familiar eyes open and alert almost overwhelming her. "That's not how it goes. Your dad and I are going to get you some help, and you are going to learn how valuable your life is."

"My dad," Jack muttered, his fingers clutching wildly at the loose fabric of JJ's slacks. "He hates me. I saw that look on his face."

"Right now your father is terrified for you, Jack," JJ whispered. "There's no way on earth he could ever hate you. Ever," JJ stressed, tightening her hand on Jack's arm.

"You're wrong," Jack shook his head, squeezing his eyes shut as he remembered the look of utter rage that had been leveled on him at Aunt JJ's apartment. "I disgust him," he whispered, a tear leaking from his closed eye. "I disgust me."

Memories of her late sister's suicide note taunted her as she listened to Jack's barely coherent confidence, and JJ's heart clenched. That was not going to happen to him, too. She would not sit by and watch another person she loved fade from existence because of adolescent desperation.

No child should know that pain...and no parent should suffer that loss.

And it wasn't going to happen here. Not again.

"We're going to find a way to make it better, Jack. I swear, we will," she promised, holding the boy closer. While she hadn't given birth to him...wasn't his biological mother…fate had deemed that she be bound to this child long ago. She loved him as much as her own son, and there wasn't anything she wouldn't do to ensure his safety and happiness.

Even if it meant brokering peace between an enraged, terrified father and a confused, reluctant son. She refused to watch either of them suffer.

"We're here, JJ," Morgan's rough voice announced, cutting through her thoughts as the SUV jerked to an abrupt halt.

Shaking Jack's shoulder, JJ called, "Jack! Honey, let's get you checked out!"

Glancing over his shoulder, Derek frowned, "He's out, JJ. I'll have them bring out a gurney."

Nodding, JJ saw the far door jerk open as Aaron's worried face appeared. Touching his son's leg, Hotch shook him. "Jack!"

"I think he's unconscious, Aaron," JJ said, her voice high pitched, the first tendrils of panic wrapping around her psyche. "He was mumbling and then he just went quiet."

"Jack!" Hotch yelled, climbing half inside the SUV to touch his son's neck. Feeling the erratic beat against the pads of his fingertips, he asked frantically, "Where the hell is Morgan?"

"He went inside to get some help," JJ replied as Jack groaned when his father slapped at his cheeks.

"C'mon, son," Hotch begged, his own heart hammering inside his chest, "Open your eyes for me!"

Blinking blearily, Jack croaked, "D-dad?"

"I'm here, son," Hotch whispered, his warm hand cupping his child's pale cheek. "You just stay with me."

"Can't take anymore, Dad," Jack shook his head against the hand pressed to his jaw. "No more," he repeated, fading out of consciousness again.

"Hotch, move, man!" Derek said from outside the vehicle, reaching a hand inside to snag Hotch's arm and pull him back. "Let 'em get the kid inside," he said, nodding toward the two orderlies waiting with a gurney.

Swallowing, Hotch took a step back as the two white uniformed men pulled his son from the depths of the car.

"Does anybody know what happened?" a nurse asked as she joined the group, clipboard in hand.

"Drug overdose," Hotch answered hoarsely, wincing as the sunlight hit his son's wan face, the boy's eyelids never flinching in the bright sun. "I don't know what he took," he told the woman as JJ climbed out behind them.

"Any allergies or other health problems?" she asked briskly, making notes in the chart as they all moved simultaneously toward the door.

"Not until now," Hotch shook his head, grabbing his son's hand and holding it tightly.

"How long ago did you find him?"

"Fifteen minutes ago," JJ replied, from the other side of the gurney, her hand holding onto Jack's arm.

"Okay, folks," the nurse stated tersely as the gurney reached the double doors of the ER, "This is as far as you can both go for now."

"But I'm his father," Hotch denied, trying to move past the woman, his eyes on the boy moving quickly away from him. "I need to be with him!"

"And as soon as we have him assessed and stabilized, you will be," the nurse stated evenly, unmoving. "Right now, the most important thing here IS your son. Trust us to do our jobs. As soon as there is any information, you'll be the first to know."

Grabbing Aaron's arm, JJ forced herself into action. "She's right, Aaron. We have to let them do their work. Right now, we'd only be in the way. Let's go sit down."

"There's some paperwork we need filled out," the nurse added, handing a sheath of papers to JJ. "You can return those to the admissions desk and we'll make sure they get in your son's file, ma'am."

Nodding woodenly, JJ tightened her fingers around Aaron's wrist, tugging him toward the busy waiting room to the left. "Aaron, come on. I'm going to need to know some of these answers," she said, trying to refocus his attention for a moment.

"I'll grab us all some coffee," Rossi stated, joining the group. "Morgan, why don't you tag along and call Garcia. We'll be back," Dave said with a sympathetic look at JJ.

"We're not going anywhere," JJ smiled stiffly. Swallowing, she added, "And Dave? Could you make sure someone calls Henry, too?"

"Will do," Dave nodded before following Morgan down the hospital corridor.

"C'mon, Aaron," JJ said softly to the still unresponsive man, who still stood staring at the double doors his little boy had disappeared through, "Let's go find a seat."


	12. Chapter 12

_**NEW**__** Author's Note: Hi, guys! We've got a few notes for you today. First up, our new challenge "The Colors of the Rainbow" Prompt Challenge is now AVAILABLE for sign-up on "Chit Chat on Author's Corner" forum. It looks like it's going to shape up into a fun challenge. Check it out.**_

_**Tonnie and I are diligently working toward our nomination ballot on the second annual "Profilers Choice Awards" hosted by Chit Chat on Author's corner forum. Our tentative date to release the categories, informational post and NOMINATION BALLOT is 8/28/11. One week, guys. So, put on your reading hat and look for those stories and authors you adore. Any of our fellow authors, please feel free to promote the awards as well. The more the merrier and we can use all the help we can get!**_

_**Additionally, we'll have some new posts going up at the forum this week. So, skip over and take a look.**_

_**Also, we're continuing to have oodles of fun with our fellow authors and readers over on facebook. I'm getting to know a lot of wonderful people over there and we've got quite the support system going. Feel free to come join the fun. Simply "friend" Ilovetvalot Fanfiction. I'll be sure to accept.**_

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* * *

**The Non Nuclear Family**

**Chapter Twelve**

He was sitting in a hospital again, once again waiting for doctors to work miracles that he was not sure he believed in any longer. But he had no choice. If he allowed his mind to wander to the dark side, he knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that he would never be able to claw his way back. His son's life was literally on the line…and failure was not an option.

Not this time.

Staring down at his clenched hands, Aaron Hotchner frowned as visions of his son flew through his overworked mind. Jack as a baby…his little fists bunched against cheek as he slept peacefully on Aaron's chest. Jack as a toddler…intent on finding his teddy bear in a happy game of hide and seek. Jack as a five year old…dressed in a suit that mimicked Aaron's, intent on being a super hero just like his father.

If only his son could have stayed that way, Aaron thought desperately, his head dropping even farther. But somewhere along the way, he had lost his ability to be his son's protector and role model. And now, when the worst had actually happened, there might not be a way to find it again.

He startled as he felt JJ's hand settle against his arm. Flicking his eyes over at hers, he drew in a deep breath as he muttered, "I really fucked this one up, didn't I?"

"This is not your fault, Aaron," JJ said insistently, her fingers contracting around his arm as she silently willed him to take her words to heart. "There's not one of us that could have seen this coming. I thought it was just normal hormonal teen angst...growing pains. I didn't think he had a problem like this either."

"But I should have, JJ," Hotch countered, the words falling with the force of bullets as he drew his arm away, refusing to accept the small comfort she was trying to relay to him while his son laid just rooms away, suffering.

"Aaron, stop," JJ urged sharply, narrowing her eyes as she attempted to reach the Aaron that she knew was still there. "Beating yourself up over something you can't control and couldn't have changed..."

"...but I could have changed it, couldn't I?" he interrupted grimly. "I could have chosen not to overreact back at your apartment. I could have chosen to go after him immediately. I could have made an infinite number of choices that might not have led us here."

"Woulda, coulda, shoulda," JJ sighed, shaking her head as she leaned back in her seat. "You can't second guess yourself, Aaron. You aren't infallible. You aren't perfect. None of us are."

"Really?" Hotch snorted. "You seem to have done okay with your son, JJ. Meanwhile, my kid is lying on a gurney with a possible drug overdose. I'm fairly certain my father of the year award won't be in my mailbox this year for Father's Day," he continued sarcastically.

"Henry hasn't entered those hardcore adolescent years, Aaron. I'm sure my turn is coming," JJ soothed, praying she was wrong even as she spoke the supportive words. God knew, she could barely handle this as it was. "And I'm equally sure that when that time arrives, you'll be there supporting me through it."

Leaning his head back against the wall, Hotch gripped the arms of the chair and shot an anxious look toward the double doors leading to the internal ER. "Don't you think they should have come out and said something by now?"

"It's only been a few minutes, Hotch," JJ replied, making another note on the insurance form before passing the clipboard to the man beside her. "You need to sign the bottom of the first three forms."

Accepting the neat stack of papers from her, Aaron glanced at them. "You already got all this filled out?" he murmured as he signed the top sheet next to the place she pointed at.

"Years of shuffling through bureaucratic paperwork has made my an expert," JJ joked weakly. "It's all standard insurance stuff."

Nodding, Hotch quickly signed the other two forms and rose from his chair. "I'm going to go turn these in and try to find out what's going on back there.

"Okay," JJ agreed softly. She knew by the set expression on his face that she wouldn't be able to change his mind. Until he saw for himself that Jack was going to be fine, he was little more than a barely contained wild animal about to break his tether at any moment. Watching as he stalked toward the desk, his footsteps determined, she shook her head as Dave sank into the seat on the other side of her.

"How is he?" Dave asked, keeping his voice low as he passed her a cup of coffee. "Aaron, I mean," he added, nodding toward the other man.

"Barely hanging on to his sanity," JJ answered tiredly as she took the steaming Styrofoam with grateful hands. "He thinks this is all his fault, Dave. And nothing I say seems to make a difference."

"Aaron always did internalize his guilt, Jen. Just keep trying. If anybody can break down his walls, it's you," Dave advised as he stretched his legs out and crossed them at the ankles. "Morgan's calling Garcia. I called Henry. He wanted to come, but I told him to sit tight...you'd call when you knew something. Hope that was all right with you."

"It's fine." JJ nodded. "There's no point in all of us being here. If it's like any other time I've been in the hospital, it'll be hours before we know anything concrete." And honestly, she didn't want Henry to see Jack like this. He idolized the older boy. Or, at least, he had until recently.

"Kinda what I thought," Dave agreed, keeping his eyes trained on a stiff Hotch as he quietly spoke to the lady behind the desk before turning to walk back to where they sat.

"That nurse doesn't know a damn thing. Told me to take a seat and wait for the doctor to talk to us," Hotch all but snarled as he resumed his seat beside JJ. Balling his hands into fists, he squeezed his eyes shut as his mind searched for an answer to where he'd gone so wrong with his son. The minutes ticked slowly by while he mentally kicked himself for missing what now seemed like obvious signs of drug abuse.

Moody. Anxious. Nervous.

His son had all but held up a fucking neon sign to let him know he was in pain...that he was in trouble. What kind of father missed signs like that?

"Do you think he was deliberately trying to kill himself?" Hotch asked huskily, his words spoken to himself as much as to the two people beside him.

"What?" JJ asked in surprise, jerking her head toward Aaron.

"Do you think he was trying to commit suicide?" Aaron clarified tightly, unable to meet her eyes…afraid of the condemnation he might see in her gaze.

"No!" JJ gasped, covering Hotch's hand again. "I don't. I think he was trying to escape his life for a brief time and things went horribly wrong."

"God, I hope you're right, JJ," Hotch whispered, just as a nurse called out, "Hotchner Family?".


	13. Chapter 13

_Author's Note: Big news today, our friends! __**The nomination ballot, rules, and category summaries for the second annual Profiler's Choice CM Awards 2011 are up and available for you at "Chit Chat on Author's Corner" forum.**__ To reach that post, please either take a trip to the forum itself OR links are provided on the profile pages of ilovetvalot, tonnie2001969, OR Profiler's Choice CM Awards. Nomination ballots should be pm'd to Profiler's Choice CM Awards ONLY. That link is also provided on the forum or through the profile pages listed above._

_We are both very excited about this second award process. In order to get the word out to as many as possible, we ask you, our fellow authors and readers, to let others know of this exciting opportunity. Whether by author's notes or Facebook, please let everyone know that the awards season has begun._

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_Stay tuned tomorrow for interviews with three authors, ReidFanatic, KDSanders, and Ice Prince1. Their interviews will be available on the forum!_

_As ever, we appreciate every single one of you that takes the time to read and/or review our stories. Your valuable feedback is deeply appreciated and we love hearing from you!_

_And, if we haven't stated it before, we do not own Criminal Minds, but darn, we wish we did!_

* * *

**The Non Nuclear Family**

**Chapter Thirteen**

Hotch jerked in his seat as he heard the nurse's commanding voice calling his name, and he immediately stood up, pulling JJ with him. "I'm Aaron Hotchner," he called out quickly, striding toward the now open doors that led to the inner sanctum of the ER, trying to glance into the opening.

The scrub-clad nurse glanced up from her chart, her eyes scanning the three people standing before her. "Only two people allowed back at a time." Glancing at Hotch and JJ, she asked, "Are you two the patient's parents?"

"Yes," Hotch answered automatically, not even stopping to consider his answer as he continued to pull JJ forward.

Dave touched Hotch's arm as he said, softly, "I'll be out here, man. Keep us updated."

Hotch nodded stiffly, acknowledging his friend's words but keeping his eyes on the nurse as he asked, his words clipped, "How is my son? What's going on?"

"If you'll follow me, the doctor will give you the details," the nurse said formally, her rubber soled shoes squeaking against the tile floor as she led them deeper into the maze of hallways of the crowded ER.

Gripping Aaron's hand tightly as her shorter legs tried to keep up with his long strides, JJ reminded herself to remain calm. After all the hospitals that she'd visited, some for the job, others for her family, never had her heart pounded like this. "Can you just tell us if he's okay?" JJ pled, her eyes silently beseeching the nurse for something...anything that would calm this overwhelming panic clawing her throat. And she knew that if she was feeling this way, then Aaron must be literally imploding.

Taking mercy on the worried mother and father, the nurse offered gently, "Your son is resting comfortably now. We've sedated him for the time being and contacted the family doctor you listed on his forms." Pausing outside a closed door, she turned to stare into two sets of now terrified eyes. "Between you and me," she said softly, "the danger zone has passed. The doctor will be in to give you a more detailed report. But, you can both relax. Your son is going to make it." Opening the door, she inclined her head toward the interior of the room. "Go in and see for yourself, Mr. and Mrs. Hotchner."

Neither adult needed a second invitation, quickly entering the dim room and hurrying toward the single gurney. "Oh, God," JJ whispered, touching Jack's pale, cool cheek, her fingers ghosting against his skin.

"Why is he so pale?" Hotch bit out, his own hand lifting to rest on his son's forehead protectively, unable to lift his eyes from Jack's slack face.

"Why don't I go get the emergency doctor," the nurse suggested. "He'll be able to answer any questions you have."

Nodding jerkily as he comprehended her answer, Hotch replied tersely, "Thank you."

"He's okay," JJ whispered, running her hand down Jack's arm to grasp the boy's hand where it laid heavily against the blue knit blanket covering his lower body. "He's okay," she whispered again as much for Hotch as herself.

"He will be," Hotch replied, his voice equally quiet in the still room where the only sound was the steady beep of the heart monitor attached to Jack's steadily rising and falling chest. "Other than his color, he looks okay, doesn't he?" he asked, keeping his voice low lest he disturb his son's rest.

Her eyes catalogued the face and body of the boy she considered one of her own. Nodding, JJ whispered, "I don't see anything." Turning his arms, she studied the blue veins on his pale skin. "There aren't any track marks, Aaron. That's a good sign, isn't it?"

Unable to answer, Hotch squeezed his eyes closed and nodded, still unable to process how his son could have fallen into this scary world of addiction without him noticing a damn thing. Had he been that oblivious to his boy's cries for help? Had he been so selfish that he'd worn blinders to the pain he must have been in. Sure, he'd known Jack was acting out, but he'd just thought it was the typical angst associated with being a teenager. The thought of drugs had never even crossed his mind.

Not until it had almost been too late.

"What if we hadn't found him in time?" Hotch asked, his voice hollow as he opened his eyes to look down at the one person he was supposed to have protected above anything else.

"Don't go there, Aaron," JJ said shakily, swallowing hard as she tightened her grip against those cold fingers. "Not now. Not until we find out exactly what we're facing with him," she whispered.

"How can I not?" Hotch asked, not really expecting an answer, leaning heavier against the gurney.

"This is not your fault," JJ insisted sharply, lowering her voice at the last moment as she glanced worriedly at the monitor. "As much as I love Jack and want to blame somebody for this, nobody did this to him. He made a choice. It was the wrong one. Right now, we have to concentrate on making sure he's physically okay and getting him the help he needs."

"The young lady is right, Aaron," a calm voice said from the doorway behind them.

Jerking his head up at the familiar voice, Aaron exhaled a relieved breath. "Doctor Akins. They said they'd called our family doctor, but I didn't expect to see you here."

Walking quietly into the room, the grey headed doctor closed the door behind him. "I've taken care of Jack since he was a toddler, Agent Hotchner. I came on over as soon as the hospital called my office." Dragging a rolling stool toward the bed, Dr. Akins plucked Jack's chart from the bottom of the bed. Scanning it quickly, he confirmed what the ER doctor already briefed him on and looked up into the anxious eyes of the child's father. "I don't think I need to tell you that Jack here is a lucky kid."

Nodding, Hotch felt his throat tightening. "How lucky?"

"Well," Dr. Akins sighed, meeting the worried father's eyes, "Between his blood alcohol level and the drug contents they pumped from his stomach, the ER doctor says he was well on his way to overdose. You found him in the nick of time, Aaron."

"What did he take?" JJ asked hoarsely, her heart pounding as she felt her chest tighten.

"We're still waiting on the toxicology report," the doctor explained gently. "But," he said, looking between their two drawn faces, "in the scope of things, it really doesn't matter, does it? Jack has a problem that we're all going to have to face."


	14. Chapter 14

_**A/N - Hello. We have exactly **__**NINE**__** days left to NOMINATE your favorite authors and stories in the second annual Criminal Minds Profiler's Choice Awards hosted by "Chit Chat on Author's Corner" forum. Random drawings for TWO $10.00 Amazon gift cards will be given to two lucky nominators. To be considered eligible, all you have to do is fill out a ballot in ten categories or more. Winners will be announced October 16, 2011! So **__**PLEASE**__**, take a trip to the forum and grab those ballots!**_

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**The Non Nuclear Family**

**Chapter Fourteen**

Aaron felt his knees wobble, and he could honestly say that wasn't something he was accustomed to encountering. But something in the doctor's tone seemed to pierce deeply into him, striking him with far greater fear than he had realized up to this point.

He felt metal pressing against the back of his legs, and he gratefully slipped down onto the stool the doctor had pushed toward him, his hand still resting on his son's arm. Drawing in a deep breath as he kept his eyes on his son, Aaron whispered, "How did I miss this? How could I have allowed my son to reach this point?"

"Aaron, we can ask ourselves that all day long, but it's not going to help Jack now," Dr. Akins said kindly, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees. "Don't beat yourself up for something that's already done. I'm far more concerned about Jack's future."

JJ slid her hand over Aaron's as she asked, her voice reedy, "And the future? What will that be? What do we need to do now, Doctor?"

"We'll start with the immediate treatment once we know what drugs we're facing. Then based on that information, we need to find an in-patient rehab for Jack."

Aaron turned at the doctor's words, his head whipping quickly as he stood up. The wheels of the stool clattered against the linoleum floor at the sudden movement. "No," he declared adamantly, shaking his head as he met Jack's doctor's gaze. "I'm not letting him out of my sight again. It's my fault. I should have paid closer attention. And now that I know that, I'm not going to let him go."

"Agent Hotchner," Dr Akins said with a quiet frown, "I know you've had a shock, but denial won't help your son. The best thing you can do is find him the help he needs. There are several fine facilities in the area with impressive success rates..."

"But we don't even know how long this has been a problem?" JJ said involuntarily, her eyes falling back to the boy on the bed, her eyes tearing up as she remembered the toddler he had once been. "It's possible that..."

"Ma'am," the doctor's kind voice interrupted, "If you're sitting in a hospital room with an unconscious boy, it really doesn't matter how long the problem has existed. The fact is, there is a problem. Right here. Right now," he said with a nod toward Jack. "How long it's been there is irrelevant at this point. Even if this was young Jack's first encounter with an illegal substance, I'd still recommend a treatment facility."

Hotch let out a deep sigh, his chest clenching as he squeezed Jack's hand even tighter. "I'm not denying that my son needs help, Dr. Akins. But shipping him off to rehab before I even know what's happened to him...what brought him here...that seems rather impulsive to me."

"Do you honestly think your son is going to tell you the truth?" the doctor asked quietly but bluntly. "I've known Jack for years, Aaron," Dr. Akins reminded his patient's father patiently. "I've seen him through his fair shapes of scrapes and scraps. This," he said with a subtle nod toward the sleeping boy, "is not the boy I knew. And I don't think he's the child you knew either."

"No," Hotch agreed grimly, raising his chin. "He isn't. But..." he said, still hesitant regarding shoving his boy into a facility with God knew what other kind of people. Hell, he might come out with a worse problem than he went in there with because of the influence of his peers. He couldn't afford to backtrack now. Not when Jack's health and wellbeing hung in the balance.

"Agent Hotchner...Aaron," Dr Akins said calmly, resting his hand on Hotch's wrist, "Father to father...this is a lot to process while your child is still unconscious. No decisions need to be made this evening. Jack will be here for a few days and carefully supervised. If you don't have a problem with it, I'd like a therapist to come in and talk with him tomorrow. Perhaps they can ferret out some of the underlying causes for this event," he suggested evenly.

"A therapist?" Hotch repeated, the word leaving a bitter taste in his mouth. His son suddenly needed a therapist? When the hell had his world changed so much that this was now the reality he lived in?

"Having someone with a fresh perspective and no biases talk to Jack might help him open up, Aaron," JJ pointed out as she saw the reluctant set of his mouth. "It's obvious that he didn't feel comfortable talking to you or me. This might be the only way we can find out what the hell is going on in his mind."

"Why couldn't he come to me?" Aaron muttered, tightening his hand around his son's. "I would have listened. We could have figured it out."

Licking his lips, Dr. Akins shifted on his feet as he said carefully, "Aaron, Jack is a teenager. He's going through all the typical angst and hormonal fluctuations that come with those years. Couple that with the fact that he's lost a parent and his father is in a rather eye catching profession...it isn't unusual to see these children act out and make choices that they normally wouldn't. The important thing is that we act now. Before this one incident becomes a series of incidents."

"He's like me," Aaron murmured, shaking his head. "He's not going to open up easily to anyone. And based on how angry he was with me today...I'm not sure he'll even listen to anything I have to say."

"Which is why it's important to bring in someone trained," Dr. Akins countered smoothly. "Someone that specializes in Jack's age group."

"I want to get him the help he needs, but I won't make a decision about rehab tonight," Aaron finally said, his eyes lingering on Jack's slack face. "I think the therapist might be a good idea though."

"Good," Dr. Akins stated approvingly. "Now," he said, looking between the two weary adults standing beside Jack's bed, "This young man," he said, resting a hand on Jack's ankle, "is going to sleep for the rest of tonight. I'd encourage you both to go home and get some rest. The next few days aren't going to be easy for anyone."

"I don't want to leave him," Aaron denied quickly, his spine stiffening as he gripped the rails of the bed.

"I understand that, Aaron," Dr. Akins replied softly, nodding. "But this isn't about what you want. It's about what's best. Trust me, you're going to want to be well rested before you and your son try to talk about things. We'll call you if there is any change or he wakes up. I've got both of your numbers here in his chart," he continued, holding up the folder held. "Go home. Get some rest. Both of you," he said, looking between the two individuals frowning at him. "Consider it an order."


	15. Chapter 15

_**Author's Note: BIG ANNOUNCEMENT - THE FINAL VOTING BALLOT IS AVAILABLE FOR THE SECOND ANNUAL PROFILER'S CHOICE CM AWARDS on "CHIT CHAT ON AUTHOR'S CORNER" FORUM. Please take this opportunity to recognize some wonderful author's and their stunning pieces of fic. Voting ends 11/30/2011. Two Amazon gift cards will be given to two RANDOM voters that take the time to vote in ten or more categories. Congratulations to all of this year's nominees. Now, let's all read some CM fic!**_

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_**Thanks to everyone that continues to read, review, favorite and alert our work! You guys are incredible and we love hearing from each one of you!**_

**The Non Nuclear Family**

**Chapter Fifteen**

Closing the apartment door behind her, JJ watched as Aaron Hotchner moved wearily toward the sofa, his normally squared shoulders now slumped in defeat. Flipping on a lamp as he sat heavily on the couch, JJ remained silent as she continued turning on lights, dispelling the oppressive darkness as she shot a worried look in Aaron's direction.

Jaw now covered in a five o'clock shadow, he stared into space, his eyes focused on nothing in particular.

How could he? His mind was nowhere and everywhere at the same time…and mostly focused on his child that he had left lying helplessly in a hospital bed.

"I can make us a pot of coffee," she offered softly after turning on the last light, the room now filled with a warm glow.

Hearing her hushed voice, Hotch forced himself to shift his gaze to the woman standing to his right. "Any chance you have a bottle of scotch or whiskey hiding around here?" he asked hopefully with a husky voice. "Hell, I'd settle for a glass of wine."

Smiling faintly, JJ nodded. "Give me a second," she said, turning and walking through the swinging doorway to her kitchen. She reached for the door to the cabinet above the stove, pulling down a mostly full bottle of Glenlivet, a holdover from her annual Christmas party last year. Finding a glass in the dish drainer, she efficiently poured a liberal amount into the clear depths of the tumbler. Grabbing a couple of ice cubes from the freezer, she dropped them inside, swirling the liquor around them.

He might need the alcohol, but she wasn't going to let him take it undiluted. In the shape he was in now, she was certain it would hit his system like a ton of bricks and be far worse in the end.

Retracing the steps to the living room, JJ found Aaron exactly as she'd left him, staring sightlessly into space and barely moving. "Here," she murmured, pressing the glass into his hand. "Drink that," she ordered.

Taking a long pull off the glass, Aaron felt the liquid burn a trail down his throat, the pain a welcome relief after an afternoon filled with numbing fear. "Thanks," he said hoarsely after he'd swallowed.

Nodding, JJ sat down tiredly beside him on the couch, stretching her legs out and propping them on the coffee table. Exhaling a long breath, she leaned her head back as Aaron lifted the glass to his lips again. "He's going to be okay, Aaron," she quietly tried to reassure the worried man beside her.

"No thanks to me," Hotch mumbled, licking his lips as his fingers tightened around the tumbler.

"That's crap," JJ said flatly, unwilling to sit silently and allow him to believe that he was responsible for Jack's choice. "You found him, Aaron. You're getting him the help he needs."

"What if it's too late?" Aaron whispered, fear clouding his ability to think clearly, his thoughts jumbling rapidly as he attempted to find some…any pathway back to normalcy.

"You know it's not," JJ replied calmly, touching his arm. "Jack is young. He'll recover. And with some guidance, he'll come through this a stronger young man for it."

"Guidance," Hotch echoed with a snort, his shoulders lift and falling as the word slipped out. "Yeah, I've really guided him well so far, haven't I? Right toward a fucking overdose."

"Blaming yourself for something you couldn't control is a waste of time, Hotch. And it won't help Jack," JJ stated firmly, her fingers tightening around his sleeve. "Do you hear me?"

Staring down at his hands, Hotch bent his head. For years, he'd tried to be both mother and father, never realizing how dreadfully he was failing in both jobs. "How can I not blame myself, JJ? I didn't see what was going on in my own home with my son. I have to acknowledge my part in this. You heard him earlier tonight. I'm the key element in his downward spiral."

"What I heard was a teenage boy in a whole lot of pain strike out at the one person he knows will forgive him...that will love him regardless of anything that has happened in the past or will happen in the future. What child doesn't eventually blame their parent? I know I did. I'm sure you have. I'm equally certain that Henry eventually will," JJ said gently.

Looking around the empty apartment, Hotch suddenly frowned. "Where is Henry?"

"Garcia texted me while we were still at the hospital," JJ explained, taking the glass from Hotch's fingers and taking a sip of the amber liquid in the hope of soothing her own frayed nerves. "She came over after work and took Henry back to her place. He was worried, and she didn't want him to be alone if we decided to stay at the hospital."

"God, what a mess," Hotch groaned, dragging a hand down his face. "I'm sorry, JJ," he apologized, his voice as weary and resigned as his soul felt.

Eyebrows rising in surprise, JJ shook her head in confusion. "For what?"

"Where do I start? " Hotch laughed emptily, waving a hand angrily into the air. "For dragging you and Henry into this. For the way Jack spoke to you and Henry. For disrupting your lives."

"Aaron, stop," JJ replied sternly, her fingers pinching into his arm. "First of all, you didn't drag me or Henry into anything that we wouldn't willingly have jumped in the middle of anyway. And if the situation was reversed, you'd be sitting here with me, too. Don't bother denying it," she said when he opened his mouth to interrupt. "Second, Jack is a teenager. Angst is his middle name. That part of the program is starting for Henry, too. In a few years, both boys will discover that we're probably the smartest people they know. In the meantime, we just have to try not to strangle either of them. And finally, " she said, pausing to draw in a breath, "You and Jack have never been a disruption. You're family. And family isn't just there for the good times."

"Well, I think good times might be a distant memory for awhile," Hotch sighed, turning his hands to twine his fingers with hers.

"Then I'll just have to remind you of all the ones we've had with both our boys until we get back to a place where we can experience them again," JJ assured him, squeezing his hand.

"I guess so," Hotch replied, his voice resigned as he held her hand in his.

Seeing him retreat inside himself, JJ began to pull away. "I'm going to go make up the spare bedroom. You can crash in there tonight and we can get up early and get back to the hospital."

"JJ," Hotch said softly, tightening his fingers around hers when she would have slipped away, "Can you just..."

"Just what?" JJ asked gently when his voice trailed off.

"Sit here with me for awhile," Hotch said faintly, the words torn from his lips. For some reason he couldn't yet identify, the warmth of her touch was the only thing maintaining his sanity, and he was loath to release that very anchor.

Settling back to the sofa, her hip pressed against his, JJ nodded. "For as long as you need, Aaron."

"That may be awhile," Hotch replied softly, lacing their fingers together as he shifted against the sofa.

And leaning her head against his stiff shoulder, JJ sighed. "That's okay, too."


	16. Chapter 16

**Author's Note: Hi guys! The FINAL voting process is well underway for the Second Annual Profiler's Choice Criminal Minds Awards hosted by Chit Chat on Author's Corner forum. Links can be found on our profiler pages. Please come on over and take a look at this year's incredibly talented nominees and their stories. Two random voters (that vote in ten categories or more) will be selected to receive gift cards from Amazon. com at the completion of this year's awards. So, take a moment and join the fun. Please PM us with any questions. WE ONLY HAVE FIFTEEN DAYS LEFT!**

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**The Non Nuclear Family**

**Chapter Sixteen**

"No freaking way!"

That was the exclamation that Aaron Hotchner was greeted with as he walked into his son's hospital room the next morning, JJ trailing behind him. It had been a long night filled with worry and fear for both of them, and it showed on each of their tired faces.

And apparently, the night was just a precursor to the hell that was going to be today.

"What's going on in here?" Hotch asked, keeping his voice low as he closed the door behind JJ and turned to face his son, the younger boy's arms crossed belligerently over his chest as he glared at the woman standing beside his bed.

Turning angry eyes on his father, Jack snarled, "A shrink, dad? You brought in a shrink? Boy, you really will do anything to avoid talking to me, won't you?"

"Jack, I already explained to you that its hospital policy for you to talk to a counselor after incidents like this," the woman replied calmly, turning to offer the two other occupants a warm, encouraging smile. "Hello," she said pleasantly, extending her hand toward Hotch, "I'm Dr. Lydia Malone, one of the hospital's counselors on staff. I've been assigned Jack's chart," she offered, lifting the medical file in her hand.

"I told Jack's doctor last night that..."

Holding up a hand to interrupt Hotch, Dr. Malone shook her head. "I just dropped by to introduce myself to my newest patient and meet with his parents. No session was set to actually take place, Mr. Hotchner," she soothed.

"And it won't either! I'm not talking to some head shrinker," Jack interjected disrespectfully, slamming his hand against the rail of the bed. "There's nothing wrong with me! I'm not crazy!"

JJ shook her head, moving toward the bed. "No one thinks that, Jack."

"Bullshit," Jack said flatly, refusing to look at her. "Because I got a little carried away, now dad wants to lock me up with some therapist. I'm not doing it. You can't make me," he said, glaring at his father.

"May I speak to my son privately?" Aaron said stiffly, looking from his son's agitated countenance to the woman that was supposed to be able to help his child.

"Of course," Dr. Malone replied calmly as she nodded, "but, I'd like to speak with you privately as well. My office is on the sixth floor. Perhaps you could swing by upstairs when you have a moment. Maybe around lunch?" she asked.

Nodding, Hotch agreed. "I'll be there. Thank you, Dr. Malone."

Smiling reassuringly, Lydia turned toward a red faced Jack. "I hope to talk to you again soon, Jack. Remember what I said, okay? Everybody needs an ear to listen. You don't have to think of me as a doctor. Or a therapist. Just try to think of me as that ear you can say anything to without any kind of judgment or recrimination."

"I think of you as a pain in my ass," Jack bit off angrily, his jaw jutting forward in defiance.

"Jack!" JJ gasped, frowning hard at the boy in bed.

"No." Lydia shook her head when JJ would have said more. "I made it clear when I walked in the room that Jack was allowed to say anything he wanted to me. If that's how he feels, he should express it."

"I've got a whole lot more to express to you, lady," Jack grumbled under his breath.

Eyebrows lifting, Lydia smiled. "Then I look forward to hearing it," she said supportively, nodding to JJ, then Hotch. "I'll see you both later this morning," she offered before quietly leaving the room.

Silence reigned a few heartbeats as Aaron stared at the boy in the bed...this child that he didn't really even recognize. Cold. Uncooperative. Confrontation. These weren't words he'd ever associated with his kid before. Yet, they were exactly the descriptions that fit at the moment. And he had yet to understand why or how this had happened.

"Jack," Hotch began a few seconds after the door closed.

"Don't even start, Dad. I'm not talking to some stranger about my freaking feelings," Jack shot back as he shook his head stubbornly. "I can't stop you from bringing her in here, but I don't have to say or listen to a damn thing she says."

Silently counting to ten as he attempted to quell the words that were threatening to trip off his tongue, Aaron met his son's flashing eyes. "Will you talk to me?" he asked softly, searching for some way to reach his distant kid.

"There's nothing for us to say," Jack muttered as he shrugged stiffly, glancing at JJ. "Let me guess," he sneered. "The therapist was your idea."

"No," JJ disagreed as she shook her head. "It was your doctor's idea. But I agree with it. Especially if you're reluctant to talk to either your father or me. You have to vent to somebody, Jack."

"I've got friends," Jack muttered, dropping his gaze from JJ's concerned face.

"You mean those kids that you were with last night?" Hotch asked, his hands constricting into fists at his sides, his emotions hovering barely beneath he surface. "The ones that left you in a vacant house suffering from an overdose? Those friends?" he asked tightly, narrowing his eyes. "Do you have any idea what would have happened to you if we hadn't got there in time, Jack? You think one of those kids was gonna have a burst of conscience and come back to save you? No! They would have let you die!"

"Aaron," JJ murmured in warning, watching as Jack's face closed off, an invisible wall lowering in front of her eyes. "This isn't the way."

"Sugarcoating the truth to him isn't going to help him see what an incredibly stupid decision he made," Aaron replied defensively, running an irritated hand through his hair as he paced in front of the hospital bed.

"What the fuck do you care?" Jack spat, each word dripping with venom. "You're hardly even around anymore and when you are, the last thing you're concerned with is me. So I went out and cut loose last night. Maybe I got a little carried away." Jack shrugged, looking away from his father's livid face, his chin dropping slightly. "That's my business."

Muscle ticking in his jaw as he paused to face his son, Hotch's eyes flashed. "Everything you do is my business, Jack. You didn't just cut loose last night either. You cut the damned line. You almost died! You overdosed, Jack! Do you even realize that? These people had to pump your stomach. They had to do CPR! You think I don't care about that?"

"Why would you?" Jack smirked as he arched a brow. "You've got a spare son, don't you?" he asked with a pointed look at JJ, rolling his eyes as he watched the woman frown. "I'm sure Henry is much more capable of the honor of being the great Aaron Hotchner's son. He's been practicing at it for years."


	17. Chapter 17

**_Author's Note: Hello! Chit Chat on Author's Corner forum have signups in session through December 31 for our "Resolutions Challenge" for January. Rules and details are also at the forum! Please join us for the challenge that will kickoff the New Year._**

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**_A special note to my readers...as Christmas draws nearer, so does my husband's return from the war zone in Afghanistan. This said, posts will be slowing DRAMATICALLY after the holiday. Bear with me. Slower updates are expected to last approximately a month. But, real life and a family reconnection will take precedence. I'm sure you all understand. But, take heart, a happy hubby makes an energetic writer._**

**_And as always, thanks to our readers! Your reviews and alerts make our day and we love hearing from you! We don't own a thing, but we sure wish we did._**

* * *

**The Non Nuclear Family**

**Chapter Seventeen**

Jaw dropping, Hotch was stunned. "What?" he asked slowly as he looked from Jack's darkened face to JJ's shocked expression. "Are you crazy?" he asked, shaking his head as he rounded the bed to Jack's side. Watching as his son pressed his lips together mutinously, Aaron glanced up at JJ. "Can you give us a minute?" he asked her softly, his heart breaking as he saw the hurt reflected in her eyes as she stared at his son. "Please?"

Nodding quickly, JJ whispered, "Of course. I'll go find a cup of coffee in the cafeteria." Touching Jack's hand, she said softly, "Jack, at least hear your father out."

Recoiling from the brief contact, Jack crossed his arms tightly over his chest. "Dad makes it impossible for anybody not to hear him."

Sighing heavily as the words seemed to settle heavily around them, JJ met Aaron's gaze. "I'll see you later."

Waiting until she'd slipped quietly from the room, Hotch pulled one of the lightweight visitor's chairs toward the bed. Sitting down he crossed one leg over the other and faced his son. "Okay, Jack. You've got my attention."

"Gee, thanks," Jack muttered sarcastically, rolling his eyes as he refused to meet his father's gaze. "I just almost had to die to get it. At least I know what works now."

Ignoring the attack, Aaron simply continued staring at his son. "Did saying that make you feel better?" he asked quietly.

Turning sharply and glaring at his father, Jack retorted, "You know what would make me feel better? Being left alone! Just get out of here, Dad!"

"No," Hotch said bluntly as he shook his head. "We need to talk about this. Why would you feel as though I favor Henry above you? You're my son, Jack."

"Whatever," Jack grunted, rolling his eyes as he reached for the remote control of the television, clicking it on with a jab of his finger.

Exhaling a deep breath, Hotch reached for the slim black remote his son gripped, jerking it out of his hand and turning the black box off with a flick of his wrist. "I don't get it, Jack," Hotch said impatiently, running a hand through his hair, "you accuse me of not caring...of ignoring you and your feelings...but here I am, son! Talk to me."

Turning to stare coldly at his father, Jack's jaw clenched. "Ever heard of too little too late?"

"Yes, I have. But when it comes to your child, a parent knows that there's no such thing as too late. I'm not going to go away, Jack, so you might as well talk to me. When did you start feeling jealous of Henry?"

"Jealous?" Jack smirked, his lips stretching almost comically. "Yeah, right. I'm jealous."

Hotch shrugged, watching Jack's face carefully. "Seems like jealousy to me."

"Wrong again, Dad. It might have started that way," Jack offered heavily, leaning back against the pillow, "but it isn't anymore. I finally learned just not to give a shit that you preferred him to me."

"I don't," Hotch insisted tightly, his shoulders tensing. "Where the hell is this coming from?"

"I don't know." Jack shrugged, his fingers picking idly at the edge of the blue blanket. "Could it be because you actually make an effort to talk to him...do things with him. Cub scouts, baseball...freaking chasing bugs for his goddamned biology class. No matter what he needs, you're there for him. Meanwhile, you barely know what classes I'm taking."

"Jack, I can recite your class schedule," Hotch replied defensively, leaning forward in his chair.

"Yeah," Jack snorted, glancing sideways at his father. "You had to so that you could make sure I wasn't around any of the guys you deemed unfit."

"Those so-called friends nearly got you killed. They have you stealing. They have you doing things that I KNOW you would never normally do," Hotch countered, his hands wrapping around the steel bedrails.

"How the hell would you know, Dad? You don't even know who I am anymore," Jack bit out. "And I told you, I didn't steal anything!"

Inhaling deeply, Hotch knew they both needed to slow down before they said things they didn't mean. So, instead, he said something he did mean with every fiber of his body and soul. "I'm not giving up on you, son."

Throwing his head back against the flat pillow and staring at the ceiling, Jack asked, "Dad, do you remember the last time you told me that you loved me?" he asked gravely.

"What?"

"Do you remember the last time you told me you loved me?" he asked again, turning his gaze toward his father.

"I...it must have been before I left for the last case," Hotch replied uneasily, not comfortable with the feeling that he couldn't remember. Honestly, he had to have said it recently…surely he did.

"No, that was Henry, Dad," Jack said softly. "What you said to me was to not get in any trouble while you were gone if I expected to be able to try for my license when you got back."

"Jack...," Hotch said, shifting in his seat as he scooted closer to the bed. "I do..."

"It was over three months ago," Jack said, cutting off his father with the precision of a surgeon's scalpel. "It was after I told you I wouldn't hang out with the guys anymore."

Hotch shook his head in denial, his stomach sinking as he watched his son's face harden. "Jack, it couldn't have been that long ago."

"Now I'm a liar, too, huh?" Jack snorted, turning his face away from his father as his eyes burned with furious, helpless tears.

"No! Of course not, but..."

"No buts, Dad," Jack yelled as he shook his head. "It is what it is." Shrugging, he added, "As long as I'm walking the straight and narrow path and not missing a step, you're a proud papa. But, one screw up and ..."

"That isn't true," Hotch replied, rising from his chair to stand over his son's bed.

"Yeah, it is!" Jack shouted, turning back to his father angrily. "Your love has conditions to it that I don't need any more, Dad! You want a perfect son? Go marry JJ and adopt Henry because I'm done! God, it's no wonder Mom left you," he said bitterly. "You can't accept ANYTHING or ONE less than perfect!"

Aghast, Hotch could only stare at his son. Finally finding his voice, he said hoarsely, "Jack, I love you know matter what."

"Just leave, please?" Jack ordered harshly, barely holding onto his control.

Swallowing hard, Aaron wanted nothing more than to wrap his son in his arms and tell him everything was going to be okay, but he knew that look Jack wore. The boy had learned it from him. "All right. I'll go grab a cup of coffee and we can both get a grip on our tempers. But, we're not done discussing this, Jack."

"Fine," Jack bit out, staring at the wall with enough force to bore a hole in it.

"I do love you, son. More than anything on earth," Hotch said softly. "And if I haven't said it enough, that was my screw up. Not yours."

"Whatever," Jack mumbled again turning on his side away from Aaron.

And with a heavy sigh, Hotch walked out of the room.

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_**So, are you guys still enjoying this?**_


	18. Chapter 18

**Author's Note: Don't forget to sign up for the 2012 Valentine's Challenge at Chit Chat on Author's Corner if you are interested.**

* * *

**The Non Nuclear Family**

**Chapter Eighteen**

Hotch stepped woodenly into the busy hospital hallway, the sounds and sights all but invisible to him. His thoughts were completely focused on the words he'd just heard coming from his son. His son that obviously believed that Aaron had thrust him aside into a box that the boy could not conform to.

Was it true, Aaron asked himself in despair as he leaned against the plain white wall, his legs suddenly too tired to support his weight any longer. Sinking to the floor, he stared straight ahead at the matching wall across the hallway. He had failed. He had failed his family. He had failed his son. And in doing so, he had failed himself.

Whether he wanted to admit it or not, the truth was staring straight at him. As far as Jack was concerned, Aaron Hotchner had become the very image of _his _father…the man that Aaron had sworn he would never emulate. In the eyes of his son, his love was strict, earned only with obedience and compliance to whatever harsh rules had been arbitrarily set down.

How had this happened? How had he suddenly fallen into the black hole that he had sworn to avoid with every ounce of his being? How had becoming the person concerned with saving his son's life caused him to lose his son entirely?

A soft hand against his arm interrupted his thoughts as JJ's quiet voice said, "Tough love means having to stay tough even when the one you love doesn't understand."

"I think I might have carried the whole concept of tough love to the extreme, JJ. Way too far to the extreme," he murmured, his eyes never wavering from the doorway. "And I never realized it until now," he whispered.

Eyebrows furrowing as she stared down at him, JJ tugged at his arm. "C'mon, Aaron. Let's go find a table in the cafeteria and you can tell me what that means," she urged, keeping her hand around his as he climbed slowly to his feet. Guiding him wordlessly through the maze of hallways until they reached the double doors of the cafe, JJ released a relieved breath as she looked around the mostly empty facility. "Go find us a booth," she instructed, nodding at the wall of tables lining the wall overlooking the grounds. I'll grab us a couple of coffees and meet you over there."

Watching as Aaron nodded slowly, his face impossible to read, JJ quickly walked toward the food court area, filling two mugs with hot coffee and moving toward the cash register. Paying quickly, she offered the cashier a tight smile as she picked up the steaming mugs and made her way back to the grim faced man waiting at the table.

"Careful," she warned, sliding the heavy mug in front of him. "It's hot."

"Thanks," he muttered, staring blindly down at the steaming cup before shaking his head. "I need to be doing something, JJ. Not sitting here drinking coffee," he ground out, helplessness flooding him as he listened to the sound of paper tearing. Watching JJ tip a packet of artificial sweetener into her own coffee, he waited for her to speak.

"What is it you want to do?" she asked calmly, stirring her coffee. "You can't force Jack to listen to you, Hotch. Not if he isn't ready to listen."

Lapsing into silence as he turned her words over in his mind, Hotch lifted the mug and took a cautious sip before replacing it on the saucer. "The one thing I swore I'd never let happen has come to pass, JJ. I've made all the same mistakes my own father did. I'm no better than he was."

"Well, I don't know anything about your relationship with your dad, but that sounds rather harsh. What did Jack say when you talked to him, Aaron?" JJ asked softly.

"He told me that I could only love him on my terms...that I couldn't accept anything that wasn't a carbon copy of me. He told me that my love is conditional."

JJ frowned, immediately shaking her head. "We both know that isn't true." Seeing his jaw clench, she continued, "You'd die for Jack. Right now, he's hurt and confused. He's going to strike out. Kids are smart, Aaron. They know how to push our buttons."

"JJ, what if he's right? What if I'm putting him through what my father did?" Hotch asked worriedly, his gut clenching.

"I can't answer that," JJ returned carefully, measuring her words carefully as she realized the uncharted ground they were about to enter. "You've never mentioned your dad before now." JJ shook her head. She'd always sensed that Aaron had a somewhat dysfunctional family. In all the years she'd known him, she'd only ever heard him discuss his childhood in passing a handful of times and usually, that was just some reference to his brother, Sean. As long as she'd known him, she still didn't even know his parents' names.

"That's because I didn't have a 'dad', JJ." Hotch grimaced, taking another sip of his coffee. "Not in the sense that you think of one. Not in any way I ever wanted to imitate." He shook his head as his jaw tensed, memories of his non-existent childhood flashing through his thoughts. "I couldn't stand the man while I lived with him, and I didn't cry when he died. For me, there was nothing to mourn."

Stomach knotting at his ominous description, JJ fiddled with the lip of her own mug. "That sounds..."

"It was hell, JJ," Hotch said wearily, his voice distant as he stared into space. "Pure hell. One I never wanted my own flesh and blood to experience. But I guess all men are there father's sons."

"Okay, now even I know that's crap," JJ retorted decisively, reaching across the table to squeeze Aaron's hand. "You've given Jack a loving, supportive home."

Smiling tightly, Hotch whispered, "And that's exactly what everyone said about my father, JJ. Except it was all a carefully cultivated lie designed to fool whoever happened to look at us. And my father was a master of deception. Deceiving others and deceiving himself. And evidently, I learned those lessons better than I ever thought. I became him without ever even trying."


	19. Chapter 19

_**Author's Note: Our newest challenge is up and running on the Chit Chat on Author's Corner forum! Join us for the Back to the Basics Challenge. All you have to do is suggest a pairing and three spring prompts for another author to write. We'll assign those prompts to someone else, and you'll receive an assignment based on another author's suggestion. As always, new authors are welcome to join us. THIS IS THE LAST DAY TO SIGN UP! Sign up on the forum today!**_

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* * *

**The Non Nuclear Family**

**Chapter Nineteen**

Sitting quietly, she watched Aaron's face close completely off. "Aaron, tell me about him. It's obvious that you need to. Tell me about him."

"It wouldn't do any good to rehash the past," Aaron muttered with a small shake of his head.

"You clearly think your past is affecting your present with Jack. So tell me why," JJ instructed gently, bravely barreling past the shields he was raising. "Where do you think these so-called similarities lie between you and your own father? Tell me, and I'll let you know if I agree," she urged. "Completely impartial party," she stated, holding up her hand in the air in a show of allegiance.

"That'll be the day," Hotch murmured, his lips twitching slightly. They both knew that JJ was anything BUT impartial when it came to either of their families.

"Talk, Hotchner," JJ ordered, her voice brooking no argument. "Or, would you rather I send Garcia hunting for the information I want," she added as she wriggled her eyebrows. "You know how much she loves a good treasure hunt.

"Trust me, sweetheart," Hotch offered grimly, "There's no gold to find." Sighing, he shook his head. "It'd be a waste of a good hunt. On paper, my father was the ideal man. Retired Army Ranger, retired from the Justice Department...a stand up guy," Hotch drawled, lifting the coffee mug to his lips and wishing he had a shot of whiskey to add to it...just like dear old departed dad, he silently sneered to himself.

"And behind closed doors?" JJ prodded softly.

Inhaling deeply as he dropped the ceramic cup back to the table, his fingers idly toying with the arm, Hotch smiled stiffly. "Oh, he was a peach, as long as you were perfect. Imperfection...let's just say it made him colder than he already was. And believe me, that bastard made me look like the warm and fuzzy Hotchner."

"Aaron," JJ whispered sympathetically as he stared at her face, not really seeing her.

"He was a block of ice, JJ," Hotch stated tersely, his voice barely rising above a monotone. "Nothing less than excellence was accepted in our home. If you brought home a 98 on a test, he wanted to know where the other two points were...and he punished you accordingly. He was old school Army...military corners...punctual...mission oriented...Jesus," Hotch laughed hoarsely, "I could stand at attention at two."

"Dear God," JJ whispered, grimacing as she imagined Aaron as a young child, subjected to a dictator for a father. "What about your mother?"

Shaking his head slightly, Hotch swallowed. "Typical battered spouse syndrome. She always thought if we could just be a little better...he'd change. Mom's philosophy was to polish it until it shined...if it sparkled prettily enough, everything would be fine." Squaring his shoulders, Aaron lifted his chin. "I did everything I could to please him, but it was never enough. There was always one more goal to meet...another mission to accomplish. But," he sighed, "as long as he was focused on me, he mostly left Sean and Mom alone. So, I did my best."

"You were protecting them by allowing yourself to be your father's target. I wouldn't say that makes you like your father, Aaron. Even then, you were selfless."

"I'm doing the same things to Jack, JJ. Expecting him to be a carbon copy of me...expecting him to blindly follow my orders. I'm trying to manipulate him into being my idea of the perfect son."

"You're being a parent, Aaron. Sometimes that means saying it's my way or the highway. We all do it. Trying to protect Jack by resorting to rules isn't being a dictator. You love him. Of course you're going to try to shelter him...and wanting him to be like you isn't a bad thing. You are not your father," JJ insisted, barely resisting the urge to shake sense into him. "You've given Jack a warm, loving home. And you did it for the most part on your own."

"JJ, that isn't how he feels," Hotch denied flatly, his eyes narrowing as he turned to stare at her. "When he described how he saw me a little while ago, he described the man that contributed to half my genetic makeup."

Pressing her lips together, JJ snorted impatiently. "Jack sounded like a teenager determined to shift blame off himself and on to someone else. And you are letting yourself fall for it," she declared flatly.

"He thinks I prefer Henry to him, Jen," Hotch said softly, staring into his coffee cup again. "And lately...I can't deny that Henry is the easier child to relate to."

Jaw dropping, JJ blinked. "He said that?"

"Yeah," Hotch admitted, his heart clenching in his chest as he remembered the words coming from his son. "He did. And he also gave me a list of reasons that he has justifiable cause to feel that way. I've fucked up, JJ. What Jack did was wrong. There's no denying that. But I really screwed up."

"Did you tell him it wasn't true?" JJ asked desperately, her stomach sinking. God, had she contributed to this problem? After all, how many times had she called Aaron, asking for him to stand-in for Will...Boy Scouts...sports...the list went on.

"I tried," Hotch confided huskily, shrugging weakly as he realized the futility of his words. "But my son isn't stupid, JJ. He knows how he feels. And he knows why he feels that way."

Pressing her fist against her mouth as she stared down at the plastic topped table, she whispered, "I'm partially responsible for this, Aaron."

Eyes widening in surprise, Aaron automatically shook his head. "No. If anybody is to blame here, it's me. I wouldn't trade my time with Henry for the world, but I should have been able to see the effect it was having on Jack. I mean, there as close as any brothers that I've seen, JJ. We've basically raised them together..."

"I didn't see it either." JJ shook her head, wrapping her arms around herself. Looking at Hotch, she asked quietly, "What do we do?"

"I don't know."

"Do...do you think Henry and I should take a step back?" JJ asked uncertainly. Leaving Jack alone would kill her, but if it was for the best...

"JJ," Hotch said softly, reaching for her hand, "The one thing I'm sure of is that you've been as much a mother to my son as Haley was. I think either one of us pulling away would be a mistake. He's already lost one mom. He shouldn't have to lose another. Even if that's what he thinks he wants. Let's just see what the doctor has to say this afternoon," he suggested. "Maybe she's got some ideas on where we go from here."

"I hope so," JJ sighed, squeezing his hand as she shifted in her seat. "Will you be okay here for a few minutes? I need to go call Garcia so she can update the team."

"Yeah," Hotch replied, nodding as JJ rose. "As it stands, I've got nowhere to go. Not until my son goes with me."

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**Thank you for reading! We'd love to hear what you think!**


	20. Chapter 20

_**Author's Note: Hi, ya'll. There are so many exciting things going on over at "Chit Chat on Author's Corner" forum this week! First, we have a brand new April challenge up for those that wish to participate. All the details can be found there, but basically, sign up to write your favorite character. You'll be assigned a random Original Character to pair them with in some capacity. For example, sign up with "David Rossi" and you might be assigned the OC of the second Mrs. David Rossi. Sign-ups are through March 31,2012.**_

_**Also, there's a brand new "Author of the Week" thread and this week our spotlight is on the fabulous jekkah. And, we've added a new discussion thread, "The OCs of Criminal Mind" for productive conversation regarding original characters.**_

_**Fortune Cookie Friday prompts are up for your consideration. And, we'd still like to hear from you on the idea of a Criminal Minds Fanfiction Reading Day. The idea is to choose one Sunday a month to set aside for reading and reviewing the many fantastic stories in the CM fandom. Swing by and comment on any of our discussion threads. We'd love to have you.**_

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_**As always, Happy Reading!**_

* * *

**The Non-Nuclear Family**

**Chapter Twenty**

Grabbing her phone on the first ring, Penelope Garcia eagerly pressed the button as she rolled her chair backwards. "Hey, Mama Bear. How's our little cub holding up?"

"Jack's not in any physical danger right now, Garcie," JJ assured her friend as she poured a cup of coffee into a heavy mug. Glancing around the small kitchenette that was tucked into the corner of the waiting room, she reached for the nearby sugar container and added a few spoonfuls. "The doctor wanted him to rest last night. So, that part is not as dangerous as it first was."

"But there's more to the story, isn't there?" Penelope asked sagely, her lips twisting as she tapped her pencil against the arm of her chair, adjusting her headset easily with the other hand. "Spill it, sister."

"It's going to be a long road," JJ whispered, dropping her chin to her chest for a moment as she drew in a deep road. "He's so angry, Pen. So angry that Aaron honestly doesn't know what to do." Forcing herself to breathe deeply, she straightened her shoulders as she added, her voice firmer than before, "But before we go any further, tell me if my son's okay. It feels like it's been days since I've seen him instead of just a few hours."

Grinning at the thought of her god-son, Garcia leaned her head back and stared at the tiles of her ceiling she reported, "No worries on that front, honey bunch. Once we got settled last night, he and I had a long heart to heart talk about how he's not responsible for anyone else's actions. And then when Derek arrived with pizza and the newest shoot-em movie of the week, I suddenly became completely useless." Reaching out easily, she grabbed the ever present mug from her desk and took a deep sip as she continued, "And then I personally delivered him to his school this morning and promised him that either my Chocolate God of Thunder or moi extraordinaire would chauffeur him home again this afternoon."

Inexplicably relieved, JJ smiled. Her son was safe. Whole. Unfettered by the poisonous venom currently permeating the youngest Hotchner's soul. "That sounds good, Garcie. Just tell him that I'll be home as soon as I can, okay?" she requested softly. "Right now, I just can't leave Hotch. Or Jack. Although I'm not sure if my presence here is more help or hindrance. I think I may be the last woman on earth that Jack wants around him or his dad."

"Jack loves you, Buttercup. You practically raised him. Just like Hotch has been there for your little man. You're a family, Peaches."

"Yeah, at the moment, we're a very distorted, fucked up version of a familial unit though," JJ murmured worriedly.

"Nuclear families are over-rated," Garcia said carelessly, the feather head on her pencil wiggling and shaking as she tossed it toward her desk. "What you guys share is unusual, but it's worked."

"At least until now," JJ countered, wrinkling her nose. "Jack is so angry, Pen. It's like the fury just burns in his eyes. I swear, if looks could have killed, I'd have been toast. I think in a weird way, he blames me for everything. Maybe I screwed up somewhere…"

"You stop that!" Garcia retorted, sitting upright in her chair. "You love that kid like your own. I've seen it, JJ. We all have. Jack is doing what every teenager on the planet does when he's caught red-handed. He's deflecting the blame and trying to point the finger at anyone but himself. And if you fall into his trap, we really _could_ lose him. Are you prepared to just surrender him to the darkness we nearly had to wrestle Reid from?"

"No!" JJ gasped, stiffening. "Absolutely not."

"I didn't think so," Garcia replied soothingly. "But those are the options, Sweetness. We fight or we surrender. And I don't know about you, but on this I'm prepared to give Ali a run for his money."

"I'm not giving up on Jack, Pen. Honest to God, it would be like giving up on my own son. But, I'm not sure what to do. It's obvious that he blames me – at least partially – for this distance between his father and himself. And truthfully, maybe Henry and I are part of the problem. Maybe we should take a step back. God knows, I don't want to make anything worse for him."

"JJ, will you listen to yourself? You _raised_ Jack. Whether he calls you mom or not, that's the role you've played in his life for years. You really think he won't see it as abandonment. Especially now. He screws up and suddenly the woman that's always told him she'd be there is _gone_? Think about it."

"I know," JJ groaned, squeezing her eyes shut. "And if it was just me that I had to think about, I wouldn't bat a lash. But I can't let Henry be hurt by all of this, can I?"

"Henry is more resilient that you give him credit for being," Penelope stated flatly. "Sweet Pea, this is the kid that realized that there was a problem before ANY of us had even caught a whiff of trouble! He's smart. And very capable of determining that his quasi brother is currently going down a road that leads to nowhere. Maybe you should just ask your son what he wants," Garcia advised calmly.

"I already know what he'd say. He thinks Jack hung the moon. Or, at least, he did."

"He still does," Garcia insisted softly, her lips twitching from side to side with emotion. "And so do you."

"Of course I do. Jack is as much my son as Henry whether he can see it or not. Seeing him like this…it's like he's being tormented. And I don't know what to do! He stares right through me if he isn't glaring at me. And then, there's Aaron. He completely blames himself," JJ whispered, leaning against the wall. "I can't even reach him either. I feel like I'm drowning."

"You aren't. You're just floundering. Anybody would be. But the simple fact is that you'd never leave either one of those boys alone at sea to drown and you know it. So, get back out there and find a lifeline…for all of you. I can hold down the fort with Henry. He'll be fine, JJ."

Straightening her shoulders, JJ nodded. "You tell him that we'll talk tonight, okay?"

"Of course I will."

"Thanks, Penelope," JJ offered quietly, mentally sighing as she rolled her neck from side to side. "And not just for watching over Henry…but for the kick in the ass, too."

"Anytime, Peaches. What are best friends for?" Garcia replied lightly. "Go take care of things on your end. I've got things under control here," she ordered before hanging up.

And with a sigh, JJ closed her phone. Garcia was right. Failure wasn't an option for her now.

One way or another, she had to reach the youngest Hotchner.

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_**I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please take a moment and leave a comment. We love hearing from you!**_


	21. Chapter 21

_**Author's Note: Oh, so many exciting tidbits to share with all of you today! First, who doesn't like a chance to win free stuff? I know I do! And that's what Chit Chat on Author's Corner forum's new "Pay It Forward Review Incentive Program" is ALL about! Reviewers get the chance to win an Amazon Gift Card for themselves AND an author for a story that they review! Cool, huh? Details can be found at the forum thread! Please, check it out! April will have TWO drawings…that's a total of four giftcards up for grabs, folks! This month the thread is focusing on ANY story in which HOTCH is a primary character! It's DEFINITELY worth a look. VERY FEW HAVE PARTICIPATED THUS FAR, BUT WE HOPE YOU WILL ALL TAKE A LOOK AT SOME POINT!**_

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_**As always, we appreciate everyone that continues to read, review and favorite our stories. It's a pleasure to write for you. Thanks for being so awesome to us!**_

* * *

**The Non-Nuclear Family**

**Chapter Twenty-One**

Stepping back into the small waiting room, JJ took a deep breath as she slipped next to Hotch. Seeing his inquisitive gaze, she smiled softly as she shook her head. "All is well with Garcia and crew. She sends her love and offered to annihilate the hospital's computer system if they're not taking good care of her boy."

His lips barely rising, Hotch chuckled, no humor in the effort. "That sounds like her. Now if we could just use her skills to find a way to redo the hardwire in my son's brain, we might be on to something."

"Well," JJ began hesitantly, biting her lower lip as she swallowed hard, steeling her nerves to face what she was certain was going to be a less-than-comfortable conversation, "we did discuss something that I think might be a new tack. What if I talk to Jack alone, Aaron? I think he needs to say some things to me and I need to let him know how I feel about him, too."

Aaron's reply was immediate and sharp. "You're not spending a moment alone with him, JJ. I won't have him lashing out at you like he did at me."

Pressing her hand against his stiffened arm, JJ met Aaron's flashing eyes as she said calmly, "Did you ever think that maybe that's what he need to do, Aaron? Jack's obviously held these feelings for a long time, and if he holds them in much longer, he's only going to get worse. I can take whatever it is that he throws at me, and I want him to know that I'm not going to run away just because he's angry." Pausing for a moment, she winced as she realized how presumptuous it might have sounded for her to demand this option. Swallowing, she said, slowly, "Unless you'd rather that I wasn't involved in his life anymore. I can understand if you think that I caused…"

"Don't even go there," Aaron interrupted, reaching over and capturing her hand in his, lacing their fingers as dropped his chin for a moment. "You didn't cause a damned thing, and Jack and I are both lucky to have you and Henry." Drawing in a deep breath, he blew it out harshly as he dropped his head back against the plaster wall behind the plastic chair. Once again, the negative thoughts of his poor parenting skills assailed him, and he wondered if he was even capable of understanding anything concerning his son. "Hell, JJ, right now I don't know what is the best option anymore. If you think that you can say something that will break through, then I can only say thank you for even wanting to try."

She didn't want to upset him any more than he already was. He was searching for equilibrium in a world suddenly turned on its side. And if there was anything she understood as a parent, it was the fact that achieving even a modicum of balance was a miracle under the best circumstances. "Look, we meet with the doctor in less than an hour. Would you rather wait to hear her advice?"

"The simple truth is that I no longer know what my son is capable of doing or saying. I profile people for a living and I can't seem to do it when it matters for my son. He's angry, Jen. No, fuck angry…the kid's temper has been simmering at a low boil for months…and I'm only just seeing it. Really seeing it. I don't want you caught in the crossfire if the lid finally explodes off the pot."

JJ frowned, her spine stiffening at the doubt lacing his words. "He's a child, Aaron."

"He's got a man's body," Hotch countered worriedly, shaking his head as he glanced over at the woman that was offering herself as a mediator for him and his son. "He could…"

"Don't you dare say it," JJ exclaimed as she gaped. "Jack would never hurt me. Or any of us, for that matter."

"He already hit you," Aaron replied bleakly, still recalling that horrifying instant when his son's hand had connected with JJ's face.

"That was a mistake! He wasn't trying to hit me, not purposefully. He was just desperate to get out of there. Jack is hurting. And yes, he struck out, but he'd never intentionally hurt any of us. Not physically," JJ defended her…her, what? Her mind balked as she realized the only word she COULD come up with was son. For better or worse, she'd filled the maternal role in his life. And damn if she would abandon him now.

A mother is a mother, no matter how she came to gain her child. Of that she was certain.

"JJ, do you think I like imagining the things my son might be capable of doing? I don't want to think that Jack could snap and become violent, but he's already done it once. True, it was mild in comparison to what could have happened, but still, the danger is there. I can't allow you to place yourself in that kind of situation…"

"First, you don't _allow_ me to do anything. I'm an adult. And, I'm a parent. Danger is an implied job hazard."

"You aren't Jack's parent," Hotch reminded her softly, hating himself for saying the words but wanting to face the challenge head-on. God only knew that he'd let too many things hide in the darkened corners of his life recently.

"Wasn't I? Who drilled him on multiplication tables? Took him to the ER when he broke his arm on the monkey bars? Listened to him when his first girlfriend broke up with him? That was me, Aaron. I've been there for every pivotal moment in Jack's life. Does he call me mom? No, he doesn't. That doesn't mean that I haven't felt like his parent."

"I'm sorry, JJ. I never meant to imply that you didn't love Jack as much as I do. I just….I don't want you to feel responsible," Hotch replied uncomfortably, scuffing his foot against the linoleum floor. "You have Henry and…"

"If it was Henry, would you be here?" JJ asked sharply, her eyes flashing as she waited for him to respond. Crossing her arms over her chest, she watched his face clench.

"Of course I would," he admitted gravely, raising his eyes to meet hers again. "But Henry wouldn't do this."

"You don't know that," JJ snapped, rolling her eyes as she shook her head, blonde hair flying quickly. "Any child can be influenced to experiment with drugs. Even perfectly healthy, well adjusted ones. The point is, if this were Henry, would you be able to walk away? Or would you fight like hell to see that he got the help he needs?"

"You know I'd fight just as hard for Henry," Hotch answered stiffly, his fist clenching against his thigh as he fought mental pictures of JJ's son being in the same situation that his own son was currently facing. And in those seconds, he realized that he had the same emotional reaction to both.

"Exactly," JJ declared as she nodded once, her head bobbing. "So, you can understand why you can't ask me to do any less for Jack."

Closing her eyes for a moment, he realized he couldn't fault her reasoning. He and JJ had raised their sons together. They weren't anyone's idea of a traditional family, but they _were_ a family. And he could tell by the determined glint in her eyes, she wasn't going to be swayed from doing what she believed was right. It was one of the things he admired about her. "Okay, he finally said, looking up at her, "We'll talk to the doctor, and if she says it's wise, you can try talking to him on your own."

"Agreed," JJ conceded, relaxing slightly as she took the seat beside him again. "In a few minutes, we can head upstairs."

Reaching for her hand, Hotch squeezed lightly. "Thanks for being so stubborn," he murmured gratefully.

JJ smiled mischievously. "I prefer to describe myself as focused."

"Semantics," Hotch snorted, his shoulders relaxing for a moment as he felt her squeeze his hand in return. "The point is, I'm glad you're here."

"Me, too, Aaron. Me, too."


	22. Chapter 22

_Author's Note: Okay, first, thank you to everyone reading, reviewing, favoriting and alerting our stories. We truly appreciate your comments._

_Second, we want to offer you a quick rundown of activities and threads that are ongoing at the forum:_

_First, we have opened our next challenge to participants. "The Future Fic Challenge" thread is open on Chit Chat on Author's Corner forum. Rules and explanation of the challenge are there as well. In short, choose one character and get assigned a random secondary character to tell a story set in the year 2022. It looks like a lot of fun._

_We've also introduced a "Help Wanted" thread to the forum for authors that are looking for assistance with various writing complications that come up. Perhaps you want someone to bounce ideas with, or maybe you need a beta….this is the place to post an ad for what you are looking for. We've also reopened the "Chat Chat Among the Authors" thread to discuss spoilers or ask questions. The "Getting to Know YOU…Tell us about yourself" thread is open. Swing by there to introduce yourself whether you are a reader or an author. We'd love to meet you._

_And lastly don't forget our "Pay It forward Review Incentive Program". From now until the end of April, anyone that reviews a Hotch related story is eligible to win an gift card. Details found on thread at forum._

_This week's author of the week is the talented klcm. Please swing by that thread to ask questions about their writing and/or stories. In addition, there are several other threads open for comment. We hope to see each of you there._

* * *

**The Non-Nuclear Family**

**Chapter Twenty-Two**

Straightening her shoulders as she stood outside the door that separated her from the young boy that she loved as much as her own son, JJ drew in a deep breath. This was a necessity, she told herself as she reached for the metal door knob.

Much to her surprise, Jack's doctor had agreed immediately that JJ should breach the divide between them and Jack Hotchner. While Aaron had tried to pay devil's advocate, offering every reason why JJ shouldn't place herself into the field of fire, the doctor had countered every argument with one simple response: "She's the only mother he knows now, Aaron. And Jack needs to know that he still has both of you in his corner, no matter how mad he may be or what choices, no matter how awful, he's made."

The doctor had echoed what her heart had been crying since this nightmare had began…she was Jack's mother figure. She had taken him under her wing just as Hotch had done the same for Henry. And she needed to let Jack know that he was loved by her without question or reservation.

Just like a mother.

Pushing open the door, JJ resolutely walked inside the small room and closed the door behind her. The time for truth had arrived.

"Hey, Jack," she said softly as she closed the door behind her with a soft click.

Jack lay motionless in the bed, a commercial for a pet supply store blaring loudly from the television in the corner. His focus was completely on the screen, although she was astute enough to see the slight stiffening of his shoulders as he recognized her voice.

"Go away," he mumbled, pressing his face against the pillow. She was the last person he wanted to talk to right now. He'd already had to listen to one woman rattle at him this morning. The freaking therapist they'd sent to his room had droned on and on about opening the lines of communication. Blah, blah, blah. He didn't want to hear it. Why couldn't they all understand that he just wanted to be left the hell alone? Couldn't a guy just be miserable in peace?

Nobody understood what this shit felt like. Most certainly, the woman now standing inside his room wouldn't get it. She had the "perfect" son. The kid set the bar so high for everybody else, he thought unhappily as he blinked back unexpected tears.

Henry.

So kind…so polite…so pathetically perfect. It made him sick to think about it. Henry would never screw up like this. He'd never get in his mother's face or take pot shots at his dad. He'd smile and follow all the fucking rules they made without a sound of complaint. He'd certainly never fall in with a pack of assholes and nearly OD on some shit he knew better than to take in the first place. God, he'd give anything to be more like that kid. Too bad that it was too late for all that. He'd finally screwed up in a way he could never take back.

Straightening her spine, JJ lifted her chin as she approached the bed. "No," she said forcefully. "I'm not going anywhere. Not until you and I talk and you understand a few things, young man."

"Why the hell can't you all just leave me alone?" Jack groaned, clamping a pillow over his ear and squeezing his eyes closed against the telltale burn in them.

Tugging the pillow away from his face, JJ demanded sternly, "Turn over and look at me, Jack. I want you to see my face when I speak to you."

Flipping violently onto his back, Jack opened his eyes and glared at her, pouring all his pent up anger into his gaze. "What?" he barked, the sound harsh in the white-walled room. "What the hell do you wanna say, Aunt JJ? How stupid I am? How much I've hurt my dad? How I'm a disrespectful smart ass teen that needs to appreciate everything he's been given and deserves whatever punishment he gets? WHAT?" he yelled, his nostrils flaring as he breathed hard.

"Are you done lashing out yet?" JJ asked calmly, bracing one hand on the metal bed rail as she stared down at the anger filled teen in front of her. "Because I can wait if you aren't."

Shaking his head furiously, Jack fought the urge to scream. God, he knew he was acting like a spoiled kid…striking out…fighting every offer for help, but he couldn't make anybody understand how much he _hurt_. Clamping down on his control, he instead bit out, "What do you _want_, Aunt JJ?"

"I want to tell you how _I_ feel, Jack," JJ replied softly, taking small comfort in the honorific title that had slipped from his trembling lips. "You've made it pretty clear that you don't want to discuss how _you_ feel, so, I thought I'd give this a try." Met with the stony silence only a teenager could perfect, JJ soldiered on. "I _love_ you. That's how I feel." Swallowing hard, she confessed, "It's struck me in the past couple of hours, how little you've heard that lately. I don't know why. Maybe it's your age…maybe it's the distance that's been between us, but I realized that you haven't heard it, at least from _me_, for a while now. And I'm really sorry for that."

"Aunt JJ, don't," Jack retorted, looking away as the sting returned to his eyes. Jeez, why did she have to come in here and be _nice_? He could have handled anything…anger, judgment, screaming, or even the silent treatment. But nice? No way. Not now. "Just go. Please?" he begged, his voice beginning to break.

"No," JJ denied simply, letting the simple word hang in the air for a moment as she stared down at him. "You can yell and scream and curse…but, I'm still going to be right here. That's what family does, Jack. And like it or not…and from what I hear, you really _don't_ like it right now, I'm here for the duration. Throw a fit if you want," JJ said as she shrugged, watching as his young face clenched, "but I love you and I'm not giving up on you."

Refusing the comfort she offered, Jack instead retorted, "My dad and I don't have to be a package deal. You and Henry already mean more to him than I do. Go enjoy it."

"That's crap," JJ replied evenly, tightening her hand against the metal railing. "You are the most important thing in your dad's world. You've both made mistakes. For that matter, _all_ of us have made some mistakes, but there is no way we'd be a family _without_ you, Jack. We can work through this together."

Jack rolled his eyes in obvious derision as he snorted. "So, that's why you're here. You're dad's mouthpiece."

"When has your father ever needed somebody to speak for him?" JJ asked dryly, one blonde brow arching. "I'm here because I want you to know how _I_ feel about you."

"Whatever," Jack grunted, turning and staring blindly at the television set.

Barely resisting the urge to grasp his shoulders and shake him, JJ reminded herself of the doctor's advice. Jack's recovery was going to be a series of baby steps forward, not a giant leap. Clearing her throat as she focused on his averted face, JJ tried again. "Listen, I'm not the only one that wanted to see you, Jack."

"I don't wanna talk to _anybody_," Jack growled. "Don't you get that?" he began again as the door to his hospital room opened and shut again without his notice.

"Well, unlike everybody else, I don't particularly care what you'd like," a voice retorted. "I think it may be time I weighed in on this situation."


	23. Chapter 23

_Author's Note: Okay, first, thank you to everyone reading, reviewing, favoriting and alerting our stories. We truly appreciate your comments._

_Second, we want to offer you a quick rundown of activities and threads that are ongoing at the forum:_

_First, we have opened our next challenge to participants. "The Future Fic Challenge" thread is open on Chit Chat on Author's Corner forum. Rules and explanation of the challenge are there as well. In short, choose one character and get assigned a random secondary character to tell a story set in the year 2022. It looks like a lot of fun._

_We've also introduced a "Help Wanted" thread to the forum for authors that are looking for assistance with various writing complications that come up. Perhaps you want someone to bounce ideas with, or maybe you need a beta….this is the place to post an ad for what you are looking for. We've also reopened the "Chat Chat Among the Authors" thread to discuss spoilers or ask questions. The "Getting to Know YOU…Tell us about yourself" thread is open. Swing by there to introduce yourself whether you are a reader or an author. We'd love to meet you._

_And lastly don't forget our "Pay It forward Review Incentive Program". From now until the end of April, anyone that reviews a Hotch related story is eligible to win an gift card. Details found on thread at forum._

_This week's author of the week is the talented Flames101. Please swing by that thread to ask questions about their writing and/or stories. In addition, there are several other threads open for comment. We hope to see each of you there._

* * *

**The Non Nuclear Family**

**Chapter Twenty-Three**

Both JJ and Jack stiffened at the sound of the familiar voice. Turning, JJ's eyes widened as she faced a man only just concealing his anger. "Spence…"

"Leave, JJ," Reid demanded, tightening his hands into fists at his side. "I want to speak to Jack alone," he said, staring at his quasi-nephew with unwavering eyes.

"Spencer, I'm not sure now is the time," JJ began, stepping in front of the younger boy as she tried to shield him from Reid's obvious irritation. No matter how much Jack might deserve to be raked over the coals, she couldn't allow him to be hurt. Not when he was already in so much pain. "I think maybe we should let Jack rest."

"No," Jack said softly, touching JJ's arm lightly. "It's okay, Aunt JJ. I want to talk to Uncle Spence."

Turning, JJ stared at him with worried eyes. In the space of a few seconds, the teenager's demeanor had taken an obvious shift. How could she know that he was telling the truth at this moment when just a minute earlier he had been determined to freeze her out? "Jack, are you sure?"

"I'm sure." Jack nodded, shifting on the thin mattress as he tried to pull himself up in the bed. "I really am."

Nodding, JJ turned back to face Reid. Taking a step toward him, JJ murmured, "I know you're upset, Spence, but…"

"JJ," Reid replied, cutting her off, "You need to go. Now. Hotch knows I'm in here and Jack's said I can stay," he said calmly with a nod toward the kid in bed. "I've got this."

"Just go easy," JJ begged, squeezing Reid's arm as she slipped around him and out of the room.

Pacing the room to stare out the only window in the brightly lit room, Reid shook his head as he tried to manage his anger. Inhaling deeply as disappointment warred with the genuine need to throttle the boy he considered a member of his family, he focused on a bird flying below. Watching as it flapped its wings, he heard Jack shuffling behind him. "If you're thinking of making a break for it, you'd better pray I never catch you," he warned without turning around, the sound of motions ceasing immediately.

"I wasn't," Jack replied, more bravely than he felt. It was rare that Uncle Reid ever got mad, but when he did, it rivaled anything his dad could say or do. Silence reigned another full minute and Jack rubbed his sweating palms against his flannel pants. "Please say something, Uncle Reid," he said softly.

Shaking his head as his jaw clenched, Reid balled his hands in the deep pockets of his khaki pants. "I'm debating where to start," he said tightly. "Do I start with the drugs? Or the running away? Or maybe we go back to the _very_ beginning and you tell me what the hell happened that made you think that getting high on an illegal substance was a viable alternative to dealing with your problems!"

Jack winced as Reid roared the last part. Tugging at the IV in his hand, he stared at Spencer's back, so straight and stiff. "I dunno," he mumbled.

"You don't know?" Reid repeated, finally turning to stare at the kid in front of him. "That's a lie," he said flatly, his eyes flashing. "You can lie to _anybody_ else, but don't lie to somebody that's already been there, Jack. It's insulting."

"I'm not trying to," Jack replied quickly as he grimaced. "It's complicated. I'm not even sure what happened, Uncle Spence," he said, turning big eyes toward the normally placid man.

"Well," Reid said, gesturing with his arm as he stomped across the room to throw himself in the chair beside Jack's bed. "Let me help you out! First, you got in a fight with JJ and your dad and stormed off. Nobody knew where the hell you'd gone. For all we knew, you were dead in some ditch somewhere – which, as the case was, is pretty close to the truth! Except it wasn't a ditch you landed in, was it? It was a crack house!"

Eyes burning, Jack felt his body grow cold. "Uncle Spencer, please…"

"No! Nuh uh! I'm not done yet," Reid declared, plowing mercilessly ahead. "So, you catch up with some of your buddies at this crack house. There, in your infinite teenage wisdom, you decide to nearly fucking kill yourself with an illegal substance. Tell me, Jack, was that the plan? Were you actually trying to _kill_ yourself or were you trying to escape. Doesn't really matter." Reid paused as he shrugged, "Either way, you were nearly _dead_ when they got you here. They pumped the crap out of your system…but not out of your head. Tell me, are you craving it again?"

"No!" Jack exploded, tears slipping down his hot cheeks as Reid's words tore at him.

"Well, I guess that's something," Reid snarled, his eyes blazing as they met the younger boy's heartbroken face.

"I'm sooo sorry, Uncle Spence," Jack cried, wiping his hands over his cheeks, his chest suddenly tightening into a vice as he felt his insides start to clench.

"Do you think your apology would do me or any of us a damned bit of good if you'd actually managed to kill yourself, Jack?" Reid asked softly with a hard voice, his eyes boring into the young man. "Do you think it would ease the pain? Do you realize what your incredible stupidity could have cost you? Because of all the people here, I _do_."

"I know," Jack choked. He tried to meet his uncle's eyes as he whispered, "I just…I didn't know what to do…where to go. And then I was there…and there was this chance to forget everything for just a little while and…"

"…and you took it. You got sucked in, Jack. And for such a smart kid, you made a foolish decision. One that has lasting repercussions."

"I never meant for any of this to happen," Jack said weakly, his fingers clawing at the sheet covering him as he stared down at the bed, unable to hold the older man's gaze.

"Yeah," Reid snorted, the sound harsh in the hospital room, "that's what every addict says. You have to take responsibility and own your actions and the fallout from them."

"I am…I do," Jack said brokenly.

"That's crap. If you were owning anything, we wouldn't still be fighting to get you to accept the help you need. Don't bullshit _me_, Jack. Unlike the rest of them, I know _all_ the tricks."


	24. Chapter 24

**_Author's Note: Okay, first, thank you to everyone reading, reviewing, favoriting and alerting our stories. We truly appreciate your comments._**

**_First, we want to offer you a quick rundown of activities and threads that are ongoing at the forum:_**

**_We've also introduced a "Help Wanted" thread to the forum for authors that are looking for assistance with various writing complications that come up. Perhaps you want someone to bounce ideas with, or maybe you need a beta….this is the place to post an ad for what you are looking for. We've also reopened the "Chat Chat Among the Authors" thread to discuss spoilers or ask questions. The "Getting to Know YOU…Tell us about yourself" thread is open. Swing by there to introduce yourself whether you are a reader or an author. We'd love to meet you._**

**_And lastly don't forget our "Pay It forward Review Incentive Program". From now until the end of MAY, anyone that reviews a ROMANCE related story is eligible to win an gift card. Details found on thread at forum._**

**_This week's author of the week is the talented pandorabox82. Please swing by that thread to ask questions about their writing and/or stories. In addition, there are several other threads open for comment. We hope to see each of you there._**

* * *

**The Non Nuclear Family**

**Chapter Twenty-Four**

Feeling a sudden spike of anger toward his uncle, Jack glared toward Reid. "You don't know nearly as much as you think you do," he proclaimed belligerently, his earlier worry suddenly evaporating. "You aren't a genius when it comes to me," he spat venomously. God, he was so tired of so-called experts.

"Then enlighten me," Reid challenged, gesturing with his open arms. "I _love_ learning new things."

Pressing his lips together, Jack stared at the older man defiantly. Nobody could _make _him talk if he didn't want to. Not his dad. Not JJ. Not those freaking shrinks. And not this guy.

Smiling thinly, Reid cocked his head. "That's what I thought."

"You know, I never thought you could be such a smug _asshole_!" Jack yelled, pounding his fist against the mattress.

"I never thought _you_ could be a dumb idiot either, but I guess we _all _had a lot of rude awakenings in the last twenty-four hours," Reid retorted with a mocking smile.

His eyes burned and emotion clogged his throat making it impossible to speak. How could he make anybody else understand how he felt when he didn't comprehend it himself? Watching as his uncle settled back against the plastic chair, fully prepared to wait him out, he sighed shakily, focusing on breathing out as much of his anger as he could. "I know I screwed up, Uncle Spence," he confided huskily.

"I suppose that's progress," Reid returned evenly, his keen eyes measuring Jack's face.

"But I don't wanna talk to these white coats." Jack shook his head furiously at the thought.

"And just like that," Reid said darkly, snapping his fingers, "the progress is eroded by stupidity."

His face flushing with irritation, Jack exploded, "They can't help me!"

"You're absolutely right. They _can't_ help you if you don't allow them to do so," Reid replied, leaning forward and resting his elbows against his knees. "The question is why you're so resistant to the idea."

"It's a waste of time," Jack snapped, his shoulders stiffening defensively.

"Given that you and I are sitting in a hospital room on the psychiatric ward of this hospital because you quite nearly killed yourself via a drug overdose, I think you can see why I find _that_ hard to fathom, can't you?"

"Look, it was all a big mistake," Jack said, waving him off with a flip of his hand, the IV tubing flying wildly. "I wasn't actually trying to commit suicide! This is being blown way out of proportion!" Why the hell couldn't anybody see this for the massive clusterfuck it was? If he'd been trying to off himself, there were plenty of guns at his house. There were any number of ways he could've gotten the job done.

"The result would have been the same, Jack. You dead in a wood box being planted in the ground. I doubt your motivation would have offered little solace to your family."

Huddling against the headboard, Jack wrapped his arms around his knees, hugging himself. "I'm _not_ crazy. I don't need a shrink."

Blinking, Reid met the hurt eyes of a child. "Nobody, including me, thinks you're crazy," he returned slowly, enunciating each word, knowing from personal knowledge that the teenager was close to the edge and that sometimes it only took one small push to break that barrier. "Talking to a doctor doesn't make you insane. Do you know how many psychiatrists I've spoken to since admitting I had a problem beyond my control? Dozens. Do you think that makes me crazy? Do you think it makes me weak to admit I have an addiction and seek out help?"

"No," Jack denied quickly, his eyes widening as he considered the thought. "But…"

"We're different, right?" Reid supplied. "You don't have an addiction."

"Right."

"Maybe you don't," Reid refuted as he shrugged. "Honestly, I don't know if you do or not. But what I am clear on is that you made an impulsive decision that very nearly ended your life, Jack. And until we know why you did it and are sure you won't make it again, _this_ is the best place for you. The length of your stay is entirely dependent on your own actions."

Jack snarled, "So, what? You're telling me just to cooperate and it will all be over soon?"

"I'm telling you that you have an entire army of people dedicated to not losing you," Reid retorted. "Like it or not, we're family! I love you. I'm so angry at you right now that I could strangle you, but I love you. I'm asking you to give counseling a chance. If it helps, they can't rat you out to your dad or anybody else. What you say is private, Jack."

"They're on his side," Jack muttered, staring at his knees.

"They're on _your_ side," Reid countered, sighing as he met the kid's eyes. "They're paid to help you get better."

"It doesn't matter how much talking I do, I'm never gonna be the picture perfect son that dad wants," Jack whispered sadly, jerking his head up as Spencer's laughter echoed off the walls of his room. "You're laughing at me?" he yelled. "Screw you!"

"I'm laughing because there's no such thing as the perfect _anything_. Hotch never expected you to be some ideal child. None of us do. You are who you are, Jack. Good and bad. Each of us is a blend of characteristics."

Snorting, Jack shook his head. "Obviously, you've never really listened to my dad."

"Your dad is a strict man. I work for him. Believe me, I'm well aware of how much of a tight ship he's capable of demanding. But, he's reasonable, too. If you'd just be honest and talk…."

"Stop defending him!" Jack shouted. "Fine! Aaron Hotchner is the stuff legends are made of! I couldn't have asked for a better dad! This is all my fault! Are you happy now?"

Lifting his eyebrows, Reid asked calmly, "You done?"

Banging his head against the low headboard, Jack stared at the ceiling.

Rising from his chair, Reid stared down at the kid in the bed. "Your father isn't perfect either. But I want you to think about something….how is he supposed to know what you need from him, if you won't tell him? You think about that, Jack, and I'll see you tomorrow," Spencer said quietly, before turning and letting himself out of the room.

* * *

_**Guys, I'd appreciate any feedback you could offer. For those that have time, please pop off a review. For those that don't, thank you all for reading!**_


	25. Chapter 25

**FORUM NEWS: Several fun things going on NOW on the Chit Chat on Author's Corner forum on !**

**1. The July Challenge, "The Crossover Challenge" is now up and available or sign ups at Chit Chat on Author's Corner forum. Please join us. The rules are simple. Choose one tv character from another show, past or present and get randomly assigned one of the CM crew to pair your chosen character with. Signups are thru July 1****st****.**

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* * *

**The Non Nuclear Family**

**Chapter Twenty-Five**

Uneasily stepping back into the open waiting room, JJ sighed as she met Aaron's darkened eyes. Without a word being exchanged between them, she knew exactly what he was asking. And unfortunately, she had no better answers for him than she did before she had left earlier.

Easily lowering herself into the molded plastic seat beside him, JJ shook her head as she reached out for the Styrofoam cup he was handing her. "Nothing. Spence is with him now."

Dropping his head back against the wall, Aaron muttered a curse under his breath. "You think I did the right thing by letting Reid talk to Jack? He seemed so adamant. And I thought…."

Placing a hand on Aaron's stiff arm, JJ interrupted softly, "You thought correctly, Aaron. Spence knows this from both sides. He's seeing things that either one of us can't. And he loves Jack. That's gotta count for something."

Any further words were cut off by the sudden buzzing of her smartphone, and JJ dropped her coffee cup to the side table as she juggled to grab the vibrating instrument from her pocket. Frowning as she recognized the phone number on the lit display, she whispered, "That's Henry's school." And quickly tapping the screen, she connected the call. "Jennifer Jareau."

While Aaron couldn't hear both sides of the conversation, JJ's expression gave him a fair idea that what she was hearing on the other end was not exactly good news.

"Yes, I'll be there in the next half hour. Thank you," JJ managed politely, feeling Aaron's steady gaze examining her face as she hung up. Forcing a bright smile, she turned her head. "I need to go for a little while. Are you going to be okay here?"

"I'll be fine," Hotch murmured, studying her as she quickly gathered her purse. "What's going on, JJ?" He frowned. The fact that she hadn't automatically shared what the call was about wasn't exactly unusual. He'd always respected her right to privacy. But the smile was obviously false and her eyes were clouded with new worries.

"Nothing" JJ shrugged, pulling her purse strap over her shoulder as she rose. "I just need to go by Henry's school."

"He sick?" Hotch asked, straightening.

"I'm not exactly sure what's going on, but I do know that it's nothing for you to be concerned about," she said gently, putting her hand on his shoulder.

"Yeah, because you don't worry about Jack?" Hotch snorted, his frown deepening as he covered her hand with his. "JJ, if something is going on with Henry…."

"If something serious is going on, you'll be the first to know," she assured him with a sinking stomach. Aaron Hotchner was too damn perceptive for his own good. Right now, he needed to focus on the problems going on that were displayed right in front of them. "But I need to go."

Gripping her hand, he rose to stand in front of her. "I'm serious, JJ. I want to know what's happening with Henry. Both our boys going off the reservation is…."

"Stop," JJ ordered, placing a hand against his chest. "Both our boys are going to be fine," she said evenly, privately praying that she hadn't just stood in front of him and lied her ass off. The principal had refused to go into details over what had occurred that had her son sitting in his office, but she had a suspicion that it was tied to things transpiring right here in this hospital. "We're a team, remember? As soon as I actually figure out what happened, I'll share it with you, okay?"

"Okay," Aaron nodded tensely, impulsively dipping his head to claim her lips in a brief kiss. He saw the surprise flash in her eyes before she could extinguish it. "Sorry," he murmured, "I just….needed that," he confessed.

Cupping his jaw, JJ lifted up on her toes to press her lips against his. "That made two of us," she whispered against his mouth. "I'll be back as soon as I can."

Nodding, Aaron watched her flee, her heels clicking against the tiled floor as she hurried toward the elevator.

$$0000$$

"Fighting?" JJ gasped as she stood in Henry's principal's office fifteen minutes later. Looking from the suited man to her son sitting sullenly in the corner of his office, JJ shook her head.

"Yes, ma'am." Principal Faulk nodded grimly. "I'm sorry, but he was. And since our school has a zero tolerance stance against violence, we had to call you and meet with you personally. Henry won't be expelled this time as it was his first incidence, but we need you to be aware of his behavior and the possible consequences. I've already explained this to your son. He indicated he understood, but refused to discuss the events that precipitated the altercation. We've disciplined the other boy as well and I will be meeting with his parents Monday morning and restating the same position to them."

"I understand, Principal Faulk. I apologize for the disturbance my son created. It will _not_ be happening again," JJ said with a scowl at Henry.

"The boys have this weekend to cool down. Perhaps that will help." The older man who reminded JJ of her favorite uncle smiled encouragingly. "And hopefully, he'll be more forthcoming in a conversation with you."

"Thank you so much for calling me. We completely understand your position. Don't we, Henry?" JJ questioned sharply, glowering at the quiet boy that had his head hung.

"Yes, sir," Henry replied obediently, rising to stand beside his mom. "I'm really sorry," he murmured guiltily.

"It's just so unlike you, Henry," the principal said softly, his concern evident.

"There won't be any further problems, I assure you," JJ promised, extending her hand to the older man and shaking it firmly. "And if there are, I promise you there will be consequences for my son."

"Have a good weekend, Ms. Jareau. I'm sorry we had to bring you in under these circumstances."

* * *

Nodding once, JJ ushered her son out of the office and down the hallway into the mostly empty parking lot of the school. She waited until they'd climbed into their car and fastened their seatbelts before looking at her child with disbelieving eyes. Licking her lips, she forced herself to breathe deeply. "All right, Henry Jareau. You have exactly ninety seconds to convince me of why you shouldn't be grounded until the Second Coming! Start talking and don't stop until I tell you to do so."

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	26. Chapter 26

_**SPECIAL NOTE: SEPTEMBER signups are now open through AUGUST, 31, 2012 for the "THE MIX n MATCH CHALLENGE!" Details can be found at the forum. **_

_**Additionally, there is a new steamy chapter of the Morgan/Garcia ficlet, "Sex on the Beach" available at both The Writers Coffee shop and Fractured-Reality. Com.**_

* * *

**The Non Nuclear Family**

**Chapter Twenty-Six**

Slamming his car door, Henry winced. "Mom," he whined, "Can we please talk about this later?" he pleaded, not quite ready to share what had ruined his reputation for being the ideal good natured student. Man, of all the times for him to assert himself, even he could recognize that now wasn't the time.

Gripping the steering wheel as she turned to her son, she automatically shook her head. "No! We will not discuss it later! Henry Jareau, how could you choose now to act out when Jack is lying in a hospital bed? Is this some kind of plea for attention?"

"No!" Henry yelled, throwing himself back in his seat as he jerked his seatbelt over his waist with a yank and fastened it. "It isn't!"

"Then, what? What could have possibly possessed you to get into a fight with another student today, of all days?" JJ snapped, her eyes narrowing on her guilty looking son's flushed face. "You tell me the truth!" she demanded.

"Mom, just leave it alone," Henry mumbled, slouching in the seat as he crossed his arms over his chest. "I swear that it won't happen again. I lost my cool. I'm sorry."

"That isn't an explanation, Henry," JJ denied softly, tightening her hands against the steering wheel. "I want to understand why my peace loving son punched another student. Isn't Charlie Sanderson your friend? Don't you play baseball on the same team?"

"Yeah," Henry muttered, staring out the window at the parking lot. "I thought we were. Turns out, I was wrong. Way wrong."

JJ watched her son's downcast eyes carefully. She knew her kid and he genuinely felt sorry for his actions. And somewhere inside her, she knew the adolescent wasn't the type of child that would start a fight. It simply wasn't in his nature. He was a peacemaker. He always had been. Something was off. "Henry," she said softly, reaching for his hand, "tell your mother what _happened_ to cause you to go off on another person. Please. Help me understand."

Looking up at his mom, Henry sighed. "It was stupid. Charlie started running his mouth about stuff that he didn't know anything about."

"What 'stuff'?" JJ asked even as she had a sneaking suspicion what the topic had concerned. Only one thing could bring her son's protective instincts surging to the forefront right now.

"Mom, why do you always ask questions you already know the answers to?" Henry complained, rolling his blue eyes.

"Don't roll your eyes at me, young man," JJ ordered, tightening her fingers around Henry's hand warningly. "That won't win you any points with me right now. This was about Jack, wasn't it?"

"Yeah," Henry admitted huskily, bobbing his head as he felt his mother's eyes studying him. Man, he hated when she watched him like that. It was weird, almost like she could read his mind. And who knows, maybe she could. She seemed to be able to read his thoughts like a book.

"Go on," JJ urged quietly, remaining quiet while her son chewed his lower lip, obviously debating how much he should tell her. "All of it, Henry," she added sternly.

"I dunno, mom." Henry grimaced. "One minute we were just sitting there eating lunch and the next….Charlie was bugging me for details on what happened to Jack. Everybody knows he's been a pain in the ass lately…picking fights and mouthing off. I guess he and Charlie had gotten into it last week, so Charlie had a chip on his shoulder. He knew some of the guys that Jack had been with and knew that Jack had…."

"…had taken drugs?" JJ queried gently.

"Yeah," Henry nodded. "He kept calling Jack a stoner and other stuff and I just….lost it. I mean, I know Jack is messed up right now, but kicking him while he's down like that…I just couldn't handle it."

"And you thought stuffing your fist in his mouth was the way to go?" JJ asked dryly, raising an eyebrow.

"I wasn't thinking at the time, Mom," Henry confessed softly. "I was just so caught up in everything that had happened…and I broke."

"Look, I understand the urge to defend Jack," JJ replied as calmly as she could. "Violence isn't the answer though. I know you know that, son. It won't help Jack or Aaron or _you_."

"I know," Henry agreed, hanging his head, ashamed of his actions.

"This can _not_ happen again, Henry," JJ said solemnly. "This family is _not_ going to implode because we're facing an obstacle. We stand together and we fight together, but _not_ with our fists, you understand me?"

"Yes, ma'am," Henry acknowledged hoarsely.

"You're grounded for a week. No television, no video games," she began in a soft voice. "You will call Charlie and apologize for hitting him. You don't have to be sorry for what you said to him, but that punch was out of line."

Nodding, Henry remained silent for a second before asking, "Do we have to tell Uncle Hotch what happened?"

Thinking for a moment, JJ finally replied, "Not right now. We'll tell him it was a misunderstanding. Neither of us needs to add to his stress level right now."

"Thanks," Henry muttered.

"I'm not doing it for you, Henry," JJ replied truthfully. "Right now, Aaron and Jack need to be focused on each other, not us."

Nodding, Henry asked hesitantly, "I know I'm grounded, Mom, but can I at least see Jack this afternoon?"

Exhaling a long breath as she considered his request, she finally shook her head. "No, Henry," she whispered, biting her lip when his expressive eyes filled with tears. "Listen to me," she urged, "I'm not saying no because you're grounded. At the moment, Jack is extremely confused. He's striking out at everyone that cares about him. I don't want him to focus his anger on you. I'm an adult and it's hard to handle, honey."

"But…"

"Henry," JJ soothed, rubbing her hand against his arm, "This isn't about you, baby. This is about what's best for Jack right now. You can understand that, can't you?"

"Yeah, I guess," Henry mumbled miserably.

"I'll talk to Aaron and Jack's doctor tomorrow and we'll see how he's doing tomorrow," she offered in compromise. "Deal?"

"Yes, ma'am," Henry acknowledged grimly.

Sighing, JJ buckled her own seatbelt before starting the car. "I'm going to take you to Uncle Derek's house to do your homework and I'm going to go back to the hospital. You okay with that?"

"I'm sorry, Mom," Henry apologized, hating that he'd put his mother in another crappy position. She was already trying to deal with Jack, adding him into the mix didn't seem fair.

"You're my child and I love you. You aren't perfect, and I don't expect you to be. You're going to make mistakes, Henry. The key is to learn from them."

And as JJ pulled out of the parking lot, she prayed she'd managed to get through to at least one of her kids.

* * *

_**Chit Chat on Author's Corner forum news: I'll try to keep it brief.**_

_SEPTEMBER signups are open through AUGUST, 31, 2012 for the "THE MIX n MATCH CHALLENGE!" Details can be found at the forum. _

_There is a new discussion thread available called, "W_HY ARE OUR READERS NOT REVIEWING? We asked, and our readers answered!" _Please check it out and leave a comment._

_We also have another discussion thread entitled __**"**_**The Ups and Downs of Writing an Uncommon Pairing**_**"**__. Please let us know what you think! _

_A continued thank you to everyone that has taken the time to read, review, favorite and alert our stories here on this site. We truly enjoy hearing from each one of you. Also, please check out our "M" stories at __**The Writers Coffee Shop (TWCS)**__ and a Brand New site run by fellow CM authors, Kavi Leighanna, Sienna27 and The Truth Between called __**Fractured-reality. Com**__. If anyone needs a link or direction to the new site, please feel free to contact us through either a private message or while leaving a review and we'll make sure to get back to you. Each former "M" story is getting an overhaul as we publish it AND there are new stories being added all the time there as well._


	27. Chapter 27

_**SPECIAL NOTE: SEPTEMBER signups are now open through AUGUST, 31, 2012 for the "THE MIX n MATCH CHALLENGE!" Details can be found at the forum. **_

_**Also, new chapters to "Touched by an Angel" and "You Found Me" have been posted at The Writers Coffee Shop (TWCS) for those following those stories. Links to that site can be found on my profile page.**_

* * *

**The Non Nuclear Family**

**Chapter Twenty-Seven**

Her steps hurried but determined against the linoleum tile, Jennifer Jareau moved quickly through the hallway of the hospital. Rounding the corner into the small waiting room where she and Aaron had already made their new home, she winced as she saw a woman in a white coat sitting next to Aaron.

Please let this be good news, she begged whatever deity that was listening at the moment. Her family couldn't take the possibilities of any more negatives. Not at this time. Maybe not ever.

Hurrying forward, she forced a smile on her face as she dropped a hand onto Aaron's tense shoulder. "Hey," she said softly when he turned and met her eyes. "Anything new?"

Nodding tersely, Aaron placed his hand over hers, pulling her around to sit beside him, lacing their fingers together without a second thought. "The doctor wanted to share a few new findings concerning Jack's blood tests."

Steeling herself for a coming barrage, JJ asked, "Bad?"

"It's not the best news," the doctor said kindly, leaning back in the plastic seat as she considered the couple before him. "Jack's blood counts are dropping, which tells me there's something else going on inside his body. It may or may not be related to the drugs he's consumed, and I'd like to find out what the root cause is."

Heart lodging in her throat, JJ reached for Aaron's hand automatically. "W-what? You mean that he's physically ill now, too?"

"Ms. Jareau," the curly headed woman comforted, "This isn't unusual in and of itself. Teens get sick. Their hygiene leaves something to be desired in a perfectly normal boy. This could be completely unrelated to the events that happened, but I want err on the side of caution. We'll do a few tests…pull some blood work and put Jack on a broad spectrum antibiotic."

"What are the chances that this is related to the drugs he took?" Aaron questioned starkly, his fingers wrapping around JJ's hand.

"Honestly? Minimal," she replied succinctly. "But why take chances?" Looking between the two anxious parents sitting before her, she smiled reassuringly. "There is some good news," she told them. "Your son has agreed to speak with our counselors. Whatever his uncle said to him today really struck a nerve. He actually asked one of his nurses to call me down to talk with him."

JJ brightened. "He did?"

Nodding, the doctor continued, "He really did. It's a good, positive first step. I'm not saying that there won't be hard work ahead because there will be. Jack won't like all of it. In fact, he'll hate most of it, but that's normal."

"His Uncle Spencer has fought addiction as well," Aaron murmured. "I was worried that, perhaps, he would be too hard on him."

"He held Jack accountable for his actions," the doctor explained softly. "Parents that love their children," she said, shifting her eyes between Aaron and JJ, "are often hesitant to do that. It's understandable. As parents, we want to love and protect our offspring. It's instinctive. It's often easier to blame ourselves than the patient. Ultimately, that can be more harmful than doing nothing at all. As a former addict, Jack's uncle would know that."

Seeing the two individuals shift uncomfortably in front of her, she held up a hand. "I'm not saying that there aren't some other problems in the family dynamic that need to be addressed. Honestly, I don't think Jack ever actually grieved the trauma of his mother's death. He pushed forward past the pain. Children often do. He's confused by the feelings he has for you, Ms. Jareau. His adolescent mind thinks that he's somehow being unfaithful to his biological mother by loving you."

"That's insane," Hotch retorted sharply, his shoulders stiffening. "I've never said anything to imply that he shouldn't grieve his mother. She was good mom. She loved Jack deeply; he knows that."

"Frankly, Mr. Hotchner, this isn't about how _you_ feel," the doctor replied bluntly, meeting Hotch's eyes without flinching. "It's about how Jack's young mind has twisted facts and feelings into a warped new reality. Honestly, he's confused." Pausing, she frowned. "May I ask a rather candid question?"

"Of course," JJ agreed, leaning forward. "Anything that will help Jack.

Aaron was more reserved in his reaction, carefully studying the woman questioning them, but he nodded slowly.

"What exactly _is_ your relationship? With each other?" the doctor asked mildly.

"I…we…." JJ floundered, unsure how to describe the bond she and Aaron shared together. They were more than friends, but less than lovers. She'd never been asked to put it into words before and the question posed to her now left her breathless.

"Mr. Hotchner?" the doctor queried, raising one eyebrow as she waited for him to respond.

"Exactly what are you getting at her, ma'am?" Aaron asked briskly. He wasn't prepared to reveal his innermost feelings to a complete stranger just to satisfy her curiosity. Not without good reason.

"It's actually fairly simple," the woman replied evenly. "If neither one of you can identify your relationship with each other, how can you expect your son to understand it? Part of his problem is that he feels like he has all these misplaced feelings of devotion and loyalty. He's unclear on the family dynamic. And, it appears that he has good reason to feel that way." Watching Aaron's eyes darken ominously, she quickly added, "I'm not judging either or any of you for it. I'm simply stating that it is an issue. One that I would urge each of you to give some serious thought to resolving." Glancing at her watch, she grimaced. "I have another appointment in fifteen minutes. I'm going to order those tests for Jack. I would suggest that you both go home and get some rest. Jack is sleeping comfortably. I'll be back for rounds in the morning and we can discuss this more then."

JJ and Aaron each nodded as she rose. Waiting until the other woman had retreated down the hallway, JJ turned her head to look at Aaron, their fingers still linked together. "So," she whispered shakily, "What do we do now?"

* * *

_**Chit Chat on Author's Corner forum news: I'll try to keep it brief.**_

_SEPTEMBER signups are open through AUGUST, 31, 2012 for the "THE MIX n MATCH CHALLENGE!" Details can be found at the forum. _

_There is a new discussion thread available called, "W_HY ARE OUR READERS NOT REVIEWING? We asked, and our readers answered!" _Please check it out and leave a comment._

_We also have another discussion thread entitled __**"**_**The Ups and Downs of Writing an Uncommon Pairing**_**"**__. Please let us know what you think! _

_A continued thank you to everyone that has taken the time to read, review, favorite and alert our stories here on this site. We truly enjoy hearing from each one of you. Also, please check out our "M" stories at __**The Writers Coffee Shop (TWCS)**__ and a Brand New site run by fellow CM authors, Kavi Leighanna, Sienna27 and The Truth Between called __**Fractured-reality. Com**__. If anyone needs a link or direction to the new site, please feel free to contact us through either a private message or while leaving a review and we'll make sure to get back to you. Each former "M" story is getting an overhaul as we publish it AND there are new stories being added all the time there as well._


	28. Chapter 28

_**SPECIAL NOTE: SEPTEMBER signups are now open through AUGUST, 31, 2012 for the "THE MIX n MATCH CHALLENGE!" Details can be found at the forum. **_

_**Also, new chapters to "Touched by an Angel" and "You Found Me" have been posted at The Writers Coffee Shop (TWCS) for those following those stories. Links to that site can be found on my profile.**_

_**AND NOW THE BIG NEWS- THE AWARDS SEASON HAS COMMENCED! Nominations have opened for the third annual Profiler's Choice Awards for Criminal Minds' fandom! Please visit Chit Chat on Author's Corner forum for the nomination ballot, rules and guidelines and category definitions. Please review ALL information BEFORE submitting your nomination ballot. Ilovetvalot, Tonnie2001969, and HXChick are NOT eligible for ANY awards.**_

* * *

**The Non Nuclear Family**

**Chapter Twenty-Eight**

An hour later, JJ was more comfortable, but no less confused. Stuffing her face with another bite of pizza, she eyed the almost empty pizza box.

It appeared that she and Aaron had the same line of logic. If their mouths were full, they didn't have to talk about the elephant sitting in the room watching them. Between the two of them, they were two slices shy of devouring the entire pie, but if she ate one more bite, she was fairly certain she'd explode.

Tossing the crust away in defeat, she sagged back against the couch cushions and smiled ruefully at Aaron. "I concede."

Chuckling as he dropped his own empty paper plate to the coffee table in front of them, he nodded. "Me, too."

"I guess that means that we can't put off talking about what Jack's doctor mentioned to us anymore," JJ acknowledged softly, thankful that she'd agreed to allow Henry to stay with Penelope tonight. His punishment could commence tomorrow. For this evening, she needed to focus on discussing her relationship, whatever it was or wasn't, with Aaron. She certainly didn't want her son overhearing any of that.

Silent for a few heartbeats, Aaron considered her comment. "JJ," he replied slowly, "I don't want you to feel responsible for this. If anyone is at fault here, it's me."

"Don't say that, Aaron," JJ denied, shaking her head. "I don't think this is anybody's _fault_. But, I think Dr. Malone made a good point earlier. I can see where Jack might be confused over my role in his life. It's not something we ever discussed – any of us."

"Dr. Malone is creating trouble where none exists," Aaron countered, his jaw tightening defensively. "Instead of focusing on us, she needs to figure out a way to help Jack."

"I think that's what she's trying to do, Aaron," JJ argued quietly. "We just don't particularly feel comfortable discussing it. I'm not Jack's biological mother, but I do feel like he's my son. I won't lie about that. I helped raise him as much as you've helped with Jack. And because of that, Jack now feels like we favor Henry over him."

"So, what, JJ? You want me to withdraw from Henry's life? You want to step back from Jack?" Aaron asked stiffly.

"Of course not," JJ retorted, tensing as she turned to look at the man beside her. "But I do think we need to talk to our boys and see how they feel. But before we can do that, we have to know how _we_ feel. Do you think of Henry in the context I think of Jack?"

"We raised our kids together, JJ. You know I do." He wasn't sure why he felt so uncomfortable. Jennifer Jareau was one of his oldest, dearest friends. She knew him as well as anyone on Earth. She'd accepted his faults and cared for him in spite of them. He and Jack owed her a debt neither one of them would ever repay. Why the hell couldn't his son see that?

_Because he's a teenager, _his conscience retorted. Notoriously self-centered, adolescents rarely saw any point of view other than their own. Rationally, he knew this. Living with the reality, however….that was an adjustment.

And now, being forced to define his relationship with a woman that he'd known for years….a woman that he'd never had the courage to be completely honest about his feelings with….

"Aaron?" JJ said again for the third time, reaching out to tug at his sleeve when he continued staring into space.

Jerked from his thoughts by JJ's hand on his arm, Aaron blinked rapidly. Scrubbing a hand over his eyes, he shook his head. "I'm sorry," he apologized. "I guess this is something that I didn't expect to have to confront….especially now." Hell, if not for Jack's condition, they'd probably never be having this conversation.

"This shouldn't be so hard, Aaron," JJ whispered, beginning to withdraw her hand.

Catching her fingers quickly before she could escape, Aaron forced himself to speak. "The last woman that I told my deepest feelings to was Haley. After she died, the part of me that knew how to do this…how to communicate how I felt…I thought it died with her."

"Aaron…"

"I've moved on. My heart isn't in the grave," he said quickly, needing to be as honest as he could. JJ deserved that. "But, I lost my ability to tell people how I really felt. Even with my son, I guess."

Now that he was talking, JJ remained quiet, simply entwining her fingers with his as she waited for him to continue. She knew what this was costing him. Aaron was as private a person as she was, guarding his emotions and feelings with a vigilance that only emerged after surviving deep pain. She understood that.

She also knew though, that there was a moment when you had to allow someone else into your life…into your heart. There was a time when you had to release your fears and put your faith in someone. "It's okay, Aaron," JJ said softly, silently encouraging him to continue. "Jack knows you love him."

"Does he?"

"You show your love in a million different ways," JJ replied gently. "Perhaps, you aren't as verbal as you'd like, but there has never been a moment in all these years that I doubted your devotion to either of our boys. Not one," she stressed.

"If that was true, my son wouldn't be lying in a hospital bed, recovering from a drug overdose, hating me," Aaron returned huskily, the words sticking in his throat, nearly choking him, "My indifference….my coldness….it nearly killed my child."

"No!" JJ denied, her eyes round as she squeezed Aaron's hand. "Jack has some

problems. Maybe our entire non nuclear family has problems. I don't know. What I am sure of is that this is _not _your fault, Aaron. It can not be blamed on one person alone."

He didn't believe her. Not one single word of what she said was even registering with him. Immersed in his own guilt, Aaron's shoulders sagged in defeat.

And JJ wondered what she could say that would convince otherwise.

* * *

_**Dear Readers,**_

_**Tomorrow, I (ilovetvalot) will be having surgery on my cervical spine. This will delay all further postings until Monday. I'm sorry for the inconvenience. Please direct all questions regarding the Profiler's Choice Awards and nominations to Tonnie2001969 and allow us 72 hours to respond to any questions. We would like to encourage you to nominate your favorite CM stories in this year's awards. We'd like to have a nice well-rounded voting ballot to offer you and that only happens if we nominate our faves.**_

_**Thanks again for your understanding!**_

_**ilovetvalot**_


	29. Chapter 29

_**SPECIAL NOTE: AND NOW THE BIG NEWS- THE AWARDS SEASON HAS COMMENCED! Nominations have opened for the third annual Profiler's Choice Awards for Criminal Minds' fandom! Please visit Chit Chat on Author's Corner forum for the nomination ballot, rules and guidelines and category definitions. Please review ALL information BEFORE submitting your nomination ballot. Ilovetvalot, Tonnie2001969, and HXChick are NOT eligible for ANY awards. PLEASE COME BY THE FORUM AND TAKE A LOOK. EVERY NOMINATION BALLOT IS IMPORTANT!**_

* * *

**The Non Nuclear Family**

**Chapter Twenty-Nine**

Staring up at the ceiling in his small room that he was certain had been modeled after a jail cell, Jack Hotchner counted the last tile in the corner.

Forty –two.

There were forty-freaking-two tiles in the ceiling of this room. And he was absolutely certain that every single one of them was determined to press down on him with a weight that he couldn't withstand.

He refused to cry. He refused to give into the childish need that was surging through him yet again. If he could just make it a few more minutes, then he knew he could survive this.

Couldn't he?

He wanted out. Out of this room. Out of this hospital. Out of this freaking city. Graduation and college couldn't arrive soon enough to suit him.

Hell, he knew he was running. From his dad…from JJ…from Henry. Everyone who cared about him.

He'd talked to the counselor. And in spite of his preconceived notion that the guy couldn't tell him anything he didn't already know, Jack found himself actually comforted by the older woman's presence. The doctor hadn't judged him or forced him to talk. Rather, the lady that told Jack to call him "Just Kate" had asked Jack about the Washington Nationals and whether he thought the team had a chance at the series.

Everyone knew that the Nationals would never take the pennant. Jack snorted even now as he remembered that silly question. And yet the older woman had merely arched a dark inky eyebrow when Jack has expressed his opinion, and then told Jack to prove it.

Maybe arguing about sports for 20 minutes had been some sort of trick to relax him. It had worked, too, Jack thought suddenly as he straightened up in the metal hospital bed. But then he dropped his head back against the pillow, suddenly too tired to even make the effort to pace around his small prison.

"It doesn't really matter," he mumbled to himself as he returned his gaze to the ceiling.

But it did. He remembered once having discussions about things like that with his Dad. He remembered Dad and JJ taking him and Henry to the games. He remembered the hot dogs…and the heat…and the laughs they'd had at the Nationals' expense.

He remembered his family.

And suddenly, quite out of the blue, he found himself wanting to talk to his dad.

The nurse that had checked on him earlier in the night had said that he was free to call home at any time. All he had to do was ask for access to a phone. It was that simple.

And it was that hard.

Because as much as he wanted to hear his father's deep familiar voice, a part of him wanted to remain strong. To prove to himself and anyone else that he could handle anything they tossed at him.

Except….he couldn't.

Not tonight, when he was in this strange room staring at the ceiling tiles, driving himself slowly insane.

Pushing off the thin sheet and throwing his legs over the bed, he padded across the room to open the door into the hospital hallway. Spotting his nurse sitting at the circular desk just ahead of him, he waited for the young, bald headed man to look up from his chart.

"Jack?" The nurse smiled when he spotted the younger man standing in his doorway a second later. "Something I can help with?" he asked, rising to stand.

"Uhmmm…you mentioned that if I wanted to call my dad…."

Nodding quickly, the man grabbed one of the cordless phones behind him off the charger. Motioning for Jack to come to the desk, he explained, "It's no problem at all. I have to get him on the phone for you, but you can talk as long as you like."

"Okay," Jack consented before he could change his mind again. Watching as the nursed pressed a code into the phone, he bit his lip.

"Okay, Jack," the man said, looking up at him. "What's the number?"

"841-0308," Jack replied as the man's finger pressed the numbers and lifted the phone to his ear.

"Mr. Hotchner? This is Dean Jensen, Jack's evening nurse. Everything is fine, sir. Your son just asked if he could speak with you. Give me one moment," the nurse stated, covering the mouthpiece with his hand as he looked at Jack.

"Okay, Jack. Your dad is on the line. You can talk as long as you'd like. I'll just pick the phone up from you when I make my next round," he said, handing Jack the receiver.

"Thanks," Jack mumbled, gripping the phone as he hurried back to his room and closed the door. Leaning against it, he swallowed hard before lifting the phone to his own ear. "Dad?" he asked tentatively.

"Jack," Aaron greeted his son anxiously. "Are you okay, son?"

Blinking back sudden tears as he heard the genuine worry in his father's voice, Jack cleared his throat. "I'm okay," he said softly. "I just….I needed….," he said, choking up as he realized that he had no idea how to talk to the man on the phone with him.

"It's okay, buddy," Aaron reassured his son steadily.

Hearing the old childhood endearment fall off his dad's lips, he felt a tear escape the corner of his eye and slide down his cheek. Moving across the room to sit on the edge of his bed, Jack hung his head, the memories of the last few days flooding his mind.

"Talk to me son," Aaron urged, his voice calm but comforting. "Why did you call?" he asked gently.

"I was lonely," Jack confessed huskily, shrugging his shoulders. Swallowing hard, he added hesitantly, "I can let you go if you're busy, Dad."

"I'm never too busy to talk to you, son. Or listen, if that's what you need me to do. I know you think that I don't care, Jack. But I do. There's nothing I wouldn't do to help you. Nothing at all."

Wiping at the tears on his cheek with the back of his hand, Jack's eyes burned as he whispered, "I screwed up, Dad." Shaking his head, he admitted with a cracking voice, " What I did…it was dumb. I'm sorry. Daddy, will you come up here and talk to me?" he asked brokenly, his sob escaping before he could control it.

"Jack, I'm on my way," Aaron said firmly. "You just hang on for me, son. Daddy is coming."

* * *

**_Special thanks to my husband, my co-author, and all my friends that have been patiently helping me through my recovery. Blessings to each of you._**


	30. Chapter 30

**CHECK THIS OUT, FRIENDS!**

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* * *

**The Non Nuclear Family**

**Chapter Thirty**

"I'll be back," Aaron Hotchner stated tersely as he stood, flipped his phone closed and reached for his coat draped over the couch. "That was Jack."

"Is he okay?" JJ asked, standing quickly as Aaron shoved his arms into his coat. "What did he say?"

"He wants to talk," Aaron confided, his smile hopeful for the first time since their ordeal had began. "He asked me to come and stay with him, JJ."

Blinking back happy tears as she followed him to the front door, she was surprised when he turned to quickly lower his head, meeting her lips in a fast, but thorough, kiss. His tongue swept dominantly against hers, stealing her breath as she clutched his broad shoulder for balance. Breathless when he pulled back, she met his gaze with shocked eyes.

"Will you…"

"You have a key," she whispered against his mouth when his lips grazed hers again. "I'll wait up."

Nodding, Aaron pecked her on the lips once more before quickly leaving, his footsteps sure as they moved down the hallway.

He drove quickly to the hospital. Thankfully, traffic was light and he managed to make record time. Less than eleven minutes later, he strode through the fourth floor corridor. Pausing at the nurse's station to sign in, Aaron glanced up as Jack's nurse met him with a smile.

"This is what we call a breakthrough in our business." The younger man grinned happily. "He's inside waiting for you," the nurse said with a nod at Jack's closed door.

"Thank you for letting him contact me," Aaron replied gratefully. "This is the first time he's wanted to voluntarily see me since he was admitted. Are there any tips that I should know?" he asked worriedly. "I don't want to risk making anything worse for my son."

"I'll tell you what I say to every concerned parent that walks in here. Nobody knows your child better than you do. Go with your gut. Try to let him lead the conversation and try to listen. This is a really positive step, Mr. Hotchner. You just hold on to that and do what you do best. Love your kid. Let him know that you _are_ here for him, anytime, anyplace."

"You know, I read people for a living," Aaron admitted ruefully, gazing at the closed door separating him from his child. "It's part of my job. For the life of me, though, I have absolutely no idea what's going on inside Jack's mind."

Clapping the older man on the arm, the younger man lowered his voice. "For what it's worth, Mr. Hotchner, Jack is confused about what's going on in his own mind. If he can't make sense of it, I don't think you can be blamed for being confused either. Go talk to him. Enjoy the fact that he _asked_ for you. I can't tell you how many of my patients come in here and never even _ask_ to talk to either of their parents. It's a really encouraging sign."

Nodding again, Hotch thanked the younger man quickly before hurrying toward his son's hospital door. Hesitating at the entrance, he knocked lightly and listened for his boy's familiar voice.

"Come in," Jack called from inside the room.

Aaron took a deep breath and opened the door. "Hey, son," Aaron greeted the boy sitting cross legged in the center of his bed.

Relieved to see his dad in spite of their problems, Jack grinned. "You got here fast, Dad," he remarked, glancing at the clock. "I told you it wasn't an emergency or anything."

Closing the door, Aaron crossed the room to the visitor's chair. "I'll always come if you call me, Jack," Aaron replied as he sat down. "How are you feeling?" he asked, searching Jack's face for any sign that he was feeling worse.

Shrugging, Jack murmured, "I'm okay, I guess. Honestly, I was just lonely."

Knowing what that admission was costing his kid, Aaron nodded supportively. "I always hated hospitals, too. Especially at night."

"I must take after you then," Jack said with a shy half smile. "As soon as the sun went down, I felt climbing the walls." Silent for a few seconds, Jack swallowed and stared at his father. "I screwed up," he whispered, blinking back unexpected tears. "Bad, Dad. I screwed up bad."

His son's pain propelled him forward, out of the chair and to the side of the bed. "Hey," Aaron soothed, dropping his hand over Jack's head, "We _all_ screw up, son. I've made mistakes, too. The key is figuring out how not to make them again. We're _both_ going to find the help we need."

"You really think so, Dad?" Jack asked doubtfully. "I mean, some of the stuff I've done….taking those drugs…hitting Aunt JJ…I'm not sure I can ever say I'm sorry enough," he said with a shake of his head. Licking his lips, he whispered, "I disappointed you. I disappointed Aunt JJ. How do I undo that?"

"Neither JJ or I are disappointed Jack. We're scared and we're worried."

"She must hate me, Dad," Jack said huskily, staring down at his hands.

"Who?"

"Aunt JJ," Jack replied, lifting his head. "I said some really crappy stuff to her, Dad. And I hit her. I didn't mean to and it was an accident, but still…"

"JJ loves you, Jack."

Snorting his disbelief at that strongly spoken statement, Jack grimaced. "I wish I could take it back, you know," Jack confided in a hushed voice. "The stuff I said….I know that her and Jack haven't had it any easier than us. I just…lost it. I got to thinking about Mom and all the stuff she's missed with me, and then I looked at Henry. I don't know…I guess I envied him in a way."

"Why?"

"He's everything I'm not, Dad. Athletic and friendly…it's dumb."

"No, it's not. It's how you feel. That's never dumb, son."

"You were spending so much time with him," Jack explained weakly, plucking slowly at the blanket. "I felt like a third wheel when we were all together. Then, with Aunt JJ always acting like my mom…I just kinda imploded."

"Your Aunt JJ cares about you deeply, Jack. I know you may not want to hear this, but she loves you like a son. When you…were missing, Jack, she nearly fell apart. She's been a nervous wreck since you were admitted."

"Really?" Jack asked, looking up at his father.

"Yes, _really_," Hotch stressed, dropping his hand to the nape of Jack's neck and urging his son to look at him. "It's okay to love her like a mom, Jack. Haley would have wanted you to have someone."

"I think she'd have wanted us _both_ to have somebody, Dad," Jack countered softly.

"You're probably right," Aaron admitted with a sigh.

"You love her, too, don't you, Dad?"

Aaron tilted his head slightly as he met his son's eyes. "Who are you talking about, son?"

Jack's next words were simply spoken. "Aunt JJ, Dad. You love Aunt JJ, don't you?"

* * *

_**SPECIAL NOTE: AND NOW THE BIG NEWS- THE AWARDS SEASON HAS COMMENCED! Nominations have opened for the third annual Profiler's Choice Awards for Criminal Minds' fandom! Please visit Chit Chat on Author's Corner forum for the nomination ballot, rules and guidelines and category definitions. Please review ALL information BEFORE submitting your nomination ballot. Ilovetvalot, Tonnie2001969, and HXChick are NOT eligible for ANY awards. PLEASE COME BY THE FORUM AND TAKE A LOOK. EVERY NOMINATION BALLOT IS IMPORTANT!**_

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_**As always, thank each of you for reading, reviewing, alerting and favoriting our stories. We truly appreciate each one of you.**_


	31. Chapter 31

_**Don't forget to vote in this year's Criminal Minds Profilers Choice Awards on Chit Chat on Author's Corner forum. Time is running out. Also, please check out Sarah O'Rourke's books (our professional name) on Amazon. Com! Friend her (and Ilovetvalot Fanfiction) today at Facebook. Com.**_

**The Non Nuclear Family**

**Chapter Thirty-One**

His son certainly didn't pull his punches, and Aaron momentarily was stunned silent.

"Dad? Don't swallow your tongue or anything, okay?" Jack requested with a shy grin. "I just…it's pretty obvious."

"What is?" Aaron returned, blinking as he tried to focus his rioting thoughts on what his son was saying.

"That you're in love with Aunt JJ. I mean, you haven't had a date in like…forever. You don't even talk about any other women other than the aunts."

"You don't assume that I'm in love with _all_ of them, do you?" Aaron asked, only have joking as he stared into his son's face. Half boy, half man, he knew this was a difficult time to the youngster. Hell, for all he knew, his kid assumed he was gay.

"Nah," Jack denied, shaking his head. "You only get that look when Aunt JJ is around. So, do you?"

"I…I really haven't spent a lot of time examining how I feel about JJ, Jack," Aaron evaded truthfully. He'd simply accepted how he felt years ago and locked it in a box that resided in the back of his mind. It stacked up nicely against the ones he kept regarding his volatile relationship with his father and the one containing his thoughts on his unsuccessful marriage.

"Dad," Jack groaned, dropping his head back against his pillow. "You're gonna sit there and tell me that you haven't thought about Aunt JJ? Aren't you the one that taught me that if you weren't good at telling a lie, you shouldn't bother with the effort it takes to try to come up with a convincing one?"

"Are you profiling me, son?" Aaron asked, arching a brow as he felt a surge of pure paternal pride. His boy was smart. He might be bitter and unhappy, too, but no one could doubt his intelligence despite everything that had happened recently.

"Dude, profiling would be _hard_. The truth is written all over your face. It's not my fault if you taught me to recognize the signs at a young age."

"I always knew that game I made up would eventually come back to bite me in the ass," Aaron grumbled under his breath.

"Fact or Fiction," Jack recalled promptly, a flash of a smile crossing his lips. "You remember?"

"Of course, I remember. I made it up," Aaron replied with a faint smile. "You loved that game."

"I loved M&Ms. You used to give them to me when I won a point," Jack chuckled, his face lighting up at the memory. "The blue were my favorite."

"So, I did give you some good memories," Aaron said softly. "It wasn't just my hopeful imagination. I was beginning to think I was rewriting history in my mind."

Blinking, Jack wasn't used to hearing doubt in his dad's voice. He was even less accustomed to being the source of that doubt. "Dad, I had a _lot_ of good memories, and you gave me almost all of them. You _and_ Aunt JJ."

"I'm glad, son," Aaron said, forcing himself to smile. "I was kinda flying by the seat of my pants."

"Nobody would have ever know that," Jack remarked with a smile. "I sure didn't," he confided. He remained quiet for a minute before prodding, "So, Aunt JJ…"

"What about her?" Aaron asked with a sigh.

"Are you ever going to tell her?" Jack asked, cocking his head as he watched his father's face. "I mean, it's obvious that you love her."

"Even if I do, that doesn't mean that she feels the same way about me," Aaron said softly, flushing uncomfortably.

Shaking his head, Jack rolled his eyes. "How can you be like a super FBI agent and honestly not see it? Dad, she's looked at you the same way you look at her for like…I dunno, _ever_. I think you two are the only ones that _don't_ see it."

"Okay, hotshot, how do _you_ feel about that?" Aaron asked, turning the tables on his son. "You made it pretty clear the last couple of days that you aren't real happy with either of us. Your Aunt JJ is convinced you'll never forgive her for telling me what happened with you and the shoplifting."

"I picked lousy friends. That's on me. It hurt that she wouldn't believe me when I told her that I hadn't taken that stuff, but that's as much my fault as hers. I haven't given her much reason to believe in me lately," he mumbled. "I screwed up, but I swear, Dad, I didn't mean to hit her."

"I know," Aaron confirmed quietly. Swallowing, his shoulders sagged. "I saw red when it happened. I haven't told you much about how I grew up, Jack," he confessed. "My dad used to hit my mother on a regular basis. Me and your Uncle Sean, too. When it happened, I guess I sort of had a flashback to my own childhood and I reacted pretty badly."

Wide-eyed, Jack stared at his father. "That's why you can't stand bullies, isn't it?" he asked, gaining some sudden insight into the man his father was. "And why you never, ever punished me by spanking me, no matter how bad I was."

"I don't believe in solving problems with my fists," Aaron whispered, leaning forward as he kept his eyes on his son. "Partly because of the way I grew up and mostly because I was afraid what would happen if I ever let myself lose control. Your grandfather…he scarred me on the inside, I guess."

"I'd never hurt somebody on purpose, Dad. Especially not a girl," Jack replied earnestly. "I know that I've acted like a shit, but there are some rules I'd never break. Not on purpose."

"You still owe your Aunt JJ an apology," Aaron replied evenly, meeting his son's gaze.

"I owe her a lot more than that," Jack acknowledged, hanging his head. "You should tell her, Dad."

"Jack," Aaron replied hesitantly. "I don't know if now is the time for any of us to make any major decisions."

"What would change, Dad? JJ is already like my second mom. You already consider Henry a son. You're always together. Just go for it."

"Go for it, huh?" Aaron chuckled.

"Yeah," Jack replied with a nod, punching his dad's shoulder. "Go for it."


	32. Chapter 32

_**Dear Friends,**_

_**It's been a while again, I know. With the hubby out of the country and both kids birthdays during the month of February, it's been a hugely busy time. Oh, the joy of being a military wife! But, I'm trying to be more consistent with updates now. We'll see how it goes. To those who have asked, NOTHING is being abandoned. It's just taking me awhile to get updated. My writing partner and I are working to bring you both quality chapters of fanfiction AND new, professional work by our pen name, Sarah O'Rourke. Those books are available on amazon and kindle. I hope you'll check it out. ALSO, to those that have asked, our story, "Unexpected Surprises" is no longer available on fanfiction. We have taken it down to revamp it into an original work for Sarah O'Rourke. We'll let you know when it is available. We hope you won't be disappointed.**_

_**Thank you for sticking with us! We adore hearing from you!**_

_**All our best,**_

_**Ilovetvalot and tonnie2001969**_

* * *

**The Non Nuclear Family**

**Chapter Thirty-Two**

His son's words echoed in his ears all the way back to JJ's two story duplex. Every mile brought him closer to her door and every second that passed convinced him that life was simply too short to spend waiting for that alleged perfect moment to tell someone how he felt.

That was how he'd lost Haley. It was almost how he'd lost his son.

Could he really afford to risk losing anyone else he cared about simply because he was too damned frightened to be honest? Hadn't he seen in vivid color exactly how risky that could be? Could he stand another illustration of the consequences of the foolish choices he had made in the past?

The answer, of course, was no.

Killing the engine as he slid his sedan behind JJ's parked car against the curb, he inhaled deeply. Glancing at the bright green numbers on the dashboard, it registered that he was very likely going to wake a sleeping woman. After all, two am was hardly the ideal time to have a heart to heart discussion about his future. Hell, a discussion that influenced _all_ their futures.

But if Aaron Hotchner knew one thing about himself, it was that if he allowed himself to hesitate, then he'd continue hesitating. It was a vicious cycle of self-doubt. One that could only be broken by action… the action of getting out of this car, marching up those steps to Jennifer Jareau's door, and telling her how he felt about her _and_ them.

Shoving open the door to the car, he straightened quickly and quickly closed it after him with a decisive flick of his wrist. Marching stiffly to the door, he barely spared the time to knock, but he'd always respected JJ's privacy even though he had a key to her place as she did his.

She must have slept lightly or not at all because a moment later he heard a scuffling sound behind the heavy oak and a moment after that her face appeared.

"Aaron?" she blinked. "I thought you'd probably decided to stay at the hospital tonight. Is Jack okay?" she asked quickly widening the door and reaching out to tug him by the arm inside the house.

"Henry?" Aaron asked huskily, glancing down the darkened hallway toward JJ's son's room.

"He's at Garcia's, remember?" JJ replied with a frown. Scanning Aaron's face for any sign of oncoming trouble, she found none. All she saw was an intense heat in his eyes and her heart fluttered in response. "Aaron, what's going on?"

Throat tightening at the urgency in her voice, he struggled to form the words necessary to convey how he felt and found it impossible. "Jack is fine," he managed finally, his own voice hoarse and thick. "We had a good conversation."

Relief flooded her and she found herself sagging against the now closed door. "He's okay," she repeated softly.

Nodding, Aaron continued, "He asked to see you in the morning. He wants to apologize."

"He has _nothing_ to apologize for," JJ discounted him quickly, simply overjoyed the young teen was talking to someone again.

"We both know that isn't true, and so does Jack. Just because we're happy that he's improving doesn't excuse all the behavior he's displayed, JJ. Neither of us can afford to give him that out. He must be held accountable for his actions," Aaron returned, automatically slipping back into parenting mode.

"I know that," JJ acknowledged softly. "But…"

"Just hear what he wants to say to you, JJ. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. At any rate, telling you that isn't the only reason that I'm here. Can I come in?"

"Of course!" JJ replied, quickly gesturing toward the couch. "Come in! Do you want me to put on some coffee or would you like something maybe a little stronger? I've got scotch or beer." She knew she was babbling, but damn it, that scarily serious look on Aaron's face was threatening to render her hysterical. Now that she knew Jack was at least on the path to recovery, she couldn't fathom why he wasn't ready to dance or turn cartwheels. Okay, maybe that was a little over the top, but her could at least crack a smile, couldn't he?

"I'm fine, JJ. I think I've had enough caffeine to keep me awake through the next decade or so and liquor probably wouldn't be in my best interest right now. If I'm gonna be completely honest with myself and with you, I need to keep a clear head."

"Okay, now you're honest to God frightening me, damn it," JJ muttered, approaching him quickly. "Did those blood tests come back and show something wrong with Jack? Is it worse than we anticipated? Answer me, Aaron," she demanded, catching her breath when he caught her hand and pulled her to sit down beside him on the couch.

"JJ, this isn't about Jack. Not completely. This is about us. My son gave me some sage words of teenage wisdom when I went to see him tonight."

Curious now, JJ raised an eyebrow as she stared into his hard face. "Advice?" she echoed. "What kind of advice?" she asked suspiciously.

"It was really unbelievably simple," Aaron replied with a shy half smile. "A conclusion that I should have reached on my own long before now, I'm afraid."

"You're confusing me, Aaron," JJ returned with a small frown of her own. "Where are you going with this?"

"Jack recommended that I just go for it," Aaron explained in a low voice as he kept his eyes trained on her perplexed face. Funny, he'd never before noticed how her forehead crinkled and her nose scrunched when something stumped her. It was endearing. And made her even more attractive than he already found her.

"Go for what?" JJ asked, cocking her head to the side as she searched for answers in his darkened gaze.

"This," Aaron replied, leaning forward to capture JJ's soft lips with his own. Nipping her lower lip gently, he waited for her lips to part before advancing, claiming the interior of her mouth and sweeping his tongue against hers. He tasted cocoa and the sweet unmistakable flavor of JJ herself. Stifling a groan as he felt her respond, he buried one hand in her soft blonde hair, guiding her closer as her lips met and mated with his.

And for the first time in a very long while, Aaron Hotchner allowed himself to feel.


	33. Chapter 33

_**To Our Lovely Readers-**_

_**Please check out "Chit Chat on Author's Corner" forum for our recent thread regarding our new facebook community, "The Book Nook".**_

_**And, as always, thank you for taking the time to look at our work! Happy Reading!**_

* * *

**The Non Nuclear Family**

**Chapter Thirty-Three**

Stunned by the intensity of Aaron's gaze, JJ stood frozen in place as Aaron's lips covered hers. She could barely think, let alone form coherent words into a simple sentence. Moaning into his mouth, her fingers clutched at his shoulders to steady herself as he began to walk her backward into her apartment.

Finally forcing herself to tear her lips away from his, she breathed heavily as she opened her eyes. Touching her tingling, slightly swollen lips lightly, her gaze collided with his as she leaned against the wall. "Aaron?" she whispered. "What the hell is going on?"

"What do you mean?" Aaron replied hoarsely, staring at her damp, glistening lips.

"You _know_ what I mean," JJ replied, resting her hands on his solid chest. Yes, she'd like nothing better than to fall back into his arms and forget about the world for a little while, but the wiser woman inside her knew that she had to get to the bottom of things. That meant identifying the reason that Aaron Hotchner suddenly found her infinitely kissable. "What was that, Aaron? Why did you kiss me?" Waiting a moment, Aaron remained silent, his eyes fixed on her face. "It's not like you to play dumb," she remarked when he still hadn't spoken a minute later.

"I'm trying to figure out how best to explain myself," he admitted quietly, his eyes never wavering from hers. "I don't want to say anything that will muck things up worse than they already are."

Nodding her understanding, JJ bit her lip uncertainly. "Let's sit down," she suggested, lightly pushing on his chest.

Wrapping his hand around one of hers, Aaron tugged her toward the couch. "Good idea," he murmured, pulling her down beside him.

Her thigh brushed against his as she turned to look at him. Usually so confident and self-assured, Aaron now looked perplexed and worried. "Aaron, you mentioned that Jack told you to go for it before you arrived here tonight. Then, you kissed me. Is there some kind of correlation between those two events?" JJ asked gently.

"You might say that," Aaron chuckled ruefully. "Let's just say that my son enlightened me on many different levels this evening."

"I take it that I was a topic of discussion?" JJ asked hesitantly, rubbing her sweaty palms against her pants.

"Not just you…more like you _and_ me," Hotch clarified. "My son wanted to know what I was waiting for, and I didn't have a good answer for him."

"You're losing me here, Aaron," JJ replied as she tried to follow his train of thought.

"Jack wanted to know if I was in love with you, and if I was, why aren't we together," Hotch explained softly. "When I didn't have a good answer, he recommended that I 'go for it' with you. Truthfully, I think my kid is onto something, JJ."

"You do?" JJ managed, shock radiating from every pore of her body.

"Don't you?" Aaron asked, cocking his head as he studied her face.

"Aaron, I…" JJ broke off. Lifting her hand to massage her temple, she swallowed. She'd been nursing her heartache over this man for years. She'd learned to be content with their friendship, having given up long ago any hope she might have had that he'd eventually want more. Now, here he sat, ostensibly offering her everything she'd dreamed of having.

Breathing deeply, she forced herself to smile. "Aaron, it's been an emotional few days. Don't say something that you don't necessarily mean. Don't do that to either of us. It isn't fair."

"I know what I'm feeling, JJ. I've felt this way for a long time. It just took Jack calling me on things to make it real. I've been a coward. I've been hiding from what I feel so long that it just felt natural to do it. My kid was right, though. Life is too short to spend being alone and unhappy. You and our boys make me happy, but those kids are growing up faster than I care to admit. Soon, it's just going to be the two of us. The kids will have lives of their own. Then, what?"

"I have no idea," JJ confided shakily.

"We don't have to be alone, JJ. What we have between us is good. Really good. Take a chance on us," Hotch urged.

"Exactly what are you proposing here, Aaron?" JJ asked, her eyes glued to his, afraid to break contact in case this dream evaporated.

"I guess I'm proposing that there's an 'us' here, and I'd like to explore the concept of a 'we' in the future with you."

"And Jack? He's on board with this?" JJ questioned nervously, unwilling to do _anything_ that might throw the teenager's life into any more turmoil.

"I'd say he offered his sanction when he told me to go for it," Hotch replied with a faint smile.

"Cute," JJ snorted, swatting at his chest. "But I'm serious , Aaron. If you and I…I mean, if we _tried_ this together and it backfired, couldn't it hurt Jack worse than he already is?"

"Who says it wouldn't work?" Hotch returned. "We've known each other for years. We're obviously compatible. I think we've both proven that we're attracted to each other. You love Jack. I love Henry. I'd say we have a pretty firm foundation already."

Surprised, JJ laughed. "It sounds like you've already though all of this out. I'm not used to you seeing the glass as half full. Usually, that's my job."

"Let's just say that Jack gave me one hell of a wake up call in more ways than one," Hotch stated quietly. "This can work between us, JJ. We can make this work."

Chewing her lower lip, JJ stared at the man beside her. Oh, how she wanted what he was offering, but she refused to accept anything at all until after she'd spoken with Jack herself.

"Say something, JJ," Aaron prodded huskily.

"I'm not saying no," she returned calmly, "but, I want to talk to Jack first." Seeing Aaron's eyes narrow, she held up a hand. "I want to hear how he feels before I say _anything_. I'm always a mother first, Aaron. And both our boys come before anything you or I want. I'll be at the hospital first thing in the morning."

"Agreed," Hotch replied after a long minute of silence. Pressing a kiss to JJ's cheek, he murmured, "I'll show myself out. Goodnight, JJ."


End file.
